Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology; is a specialty that allows for high-accuracy diagnosis in many diseases using imaging methods such as ultrasonography, computed tomography, and angiography, and enables the closed treatment of some diseases without the need for surgery - in the same session.

DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT PROCEDURES IN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY:

Biopsies: (taking a sample from suspicious disease areas or masses in the body with a needle).

Types of Biopsies: Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), Tru-cut biopsy (thick needle, core biopsy), Punch biopsy, Brush biopsy.

Tumor Marking: (the process of marking the suspicious disease area or masses, especially in the breast, that are considered for surgical removal, with some visible materials under the guidance of imaging devices just before the surgery).

Drainage applications: (draining of abscesses, cysts, or accumulated body fluids).Drainage applications for urinary tract obstructions: (nephrostomy, double J catheter or stent applications, cystostomy applications).

Drainage, balloon, or stent applications in biliary tract diseases: (diagnostic, supportive, and therapeutic applications for the relevant clinic in surgical or transplantation patients, and cancer patients).Artery and Vein diseases: (stenoses, occlusions, thromboses, aneurysms, bleedings, balloon or stent applications).

Non-healing foot ulcers due to arterial diseases: (due to diabetes or other causes) or foot gangrene.

Closed treatment of thrombosis in leg veins (Deep Vein Thrombosis) with angiography: Placement of a preventive-protective filter to prevent the clot from moving to the lungs (Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement).

Closed treatment with angiography of thrombosis in the veins of digestive organs: (Portal Vein Thrombosis) and thrombosis in the lung vessels (PTE: Pulmonary Thromboembolism).Treatment of malfunctioning or stopped fistulas (AVF, AVG) in dialysis patients. Providing the necessary temporary or permanent vascular access for hemodialysis in the same patients.

Central Venous Catheter and Port applications: (for plasmapheresis or drug applications in hematology and cancer patients, and for providing temporary or long-term vascular access in infants, children, and adult patients where vascular access cannot be found).

Treatment of leg varicose veins: (large varicose veins that show medical necessity or capillary varicose veins that are a cosmetic problem). Treatment of skin ulcers (Varicose Ulcers) caused by long-standing varicose veins.

Uterine and ovarian varicose veins: (associated with Pelvic Congestion Syndrome) and testicular varicose veins (Varicocele) in men, treated non-surgically with angiography.

Cysts: (liver, kidney, etc.) or Hydatid Cysts (also known as cysts transmitted from cats, dogs) treated non-surgically with a needle.

For some cancer types: (especially the liver's own cancers or cancers that have spread to the liver from other regions, as well as some cancers in other parts of the body) closed treatments (burning the cancerous tissue with radiofrequency or microwave, intra-arterial chemotherapy, chemoembolization, radioembolization).

Closed treatment of vascular tangles: (congenital or acquired arteriovenous vascular malformation, hemangioma, etc.).

Embolization procedures: (in the treatment of uterine fibroids and prostate enlargement, in closing a bleeding focus that has occurred for various reasons in any part of the body, in shrinking very large benign tumors).Nerve block procedures for pain: (celiac ganglion block which permanently prevents cancer pain in the abdominal region, peripheral nerve block before a painful procedure in the upper and lower limbs, etc.).

Diagnostic angiography (DSA) procedures for arteries and veins in all regions of the body (including brain vessels).

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY?

• Diagnostic and treatment procedures are shorter and easier for the patient; they do not require large skin incisions and can eliminate the need for surgery in some patients. In Interventional Radiology, procedures are almost always performed through a few-millimeter hole in the skin and are mostly painless. Especially in elderly patients or some patients with severe conditions who cannot tolerate surgery, Interventional Radiology may be the only option. Since large skin incisions are not required, wound healing is quick. No special wound care is needed. It does not create permanent scars or aesthetic problems.
• It usually does not require general anesthesia (narcosis). Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia and sometimes accompanied by relaxing and pain-relieving drugs administered intravenously. Interventional Radiology offers a safe alternative for patients with anesthesia risks.
• Hospitalization is not required. The post-procedure recovery process is easier and more comfortable. There is less pain and the recovery time is shorter. A large portion of the procedures are performed on a day-case basis. Patients are discharged on the day of the procedure after a reasonable observation period appropriate for the procedure. Compared to surgeries, there is less post-procedure pain and more comfort. Patients can return to their normal daily activities (or work lives) in an incomparably short time (sometimes on the same day).
• High selectivity towards the target is possible in diagnostic and treatment procedures. The risk of side effects or complications is lower than with other methods. In procedures performed in Interventional Radiology, the target is directly the diseased area. The risk of damaging surrounding healthy tissue or organs is minimal or non-existent compared to other methods. First, the disease area is identified with imaging methods. The identified target area is reached via the safest route under the same imaging methods, with every stage of the procedure being monitored.
• Diagnosis and treatment can be applied in the same session. Interventional Radiologists are also Radiologists. They can perform diagnostic and treatment procedures in the same session, accompanied by ultrasonography, tomography, or angiography images, which they know how to interpret very well.
• Interventional Radiology procedures are repeatable. Diagnostic or treatment applications can be repeated many times if necessary. This is because Interventional Radiology procedures are minimally invasive (minimally invasive procedures: closed procedures performed with millimeter incisions without damaging tissues and are not open surgery).
• It can be combined with other treatment options. Interventional Radiology treatment methods can be applied alone, as well as simultaneously or sequentially with other treatment options.