Girişimsel Radyoloji Nedir ve Tedavi Yöntemleri Nelerdir?

Günümüzde hastalıkların teşhis ve tedavisinde birçok yeni teknik ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu tekniklerden biri de girişimsel radyolojidir.

Günümüzde hastalıkların teşhis ve tedavisinde birçok yeni teknik ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu tekniklerden biri de girişimsel radyolojidir. Birçok avantajı ve geniş uygulanabilirliği ile tercih edilen yöntemlerden biri olur. Girişimsel radyoloji işlemleri sırasında x-ray, bilgisayarlı tomografi, manyetik rezonans (MR) ve ultrason gibi görüntüleme tekniklerinden yardım alınır. Görüntüleme ile birlikte delme iğnesi, kılavuz teller, kateterler ve kılavuz üzerinde kayan kılıflar kullanılarak işlemler minik kesikler ile gerçekleştirilir. Cerrahi olarak değil minimal invaziv yöntem olarak adlandırılan girişimsel radyoloji daha az riske sahiptir. Girişimsel radyolojinin kullanılabilirliğine doktor tarafından karar verilir. Siz de girişimsel radyoloji ile ilgili daha fazla bilgi almak için detayları inceleyebilirsiniz.

What is Interventional Radiology?

Interventional radiology is a specialty that involves techniques used to visualize or treat the interior of the body. It includes procedures that can complete or replace surgery through small incisions made in the skin. During these procedures, imaging techniques such as angiography, ultrasound, and computed tomography (CT) are utilized. Although the procedures performed are those that could be done surgically, they are carried out in angiography rooms or regular treatment rooms rather than operating rooms. Interventional radiology procedures are classified into two types: the first is vascular, which pertains to diseases and treatments of blood vessels, and the second is non-vascular, referring to non-vascular interventional radiology procedures. Interventional radiology is not limited to the cardiovascular system; it is used in many fields. During the procedure, the interventional radiologist uses imaging techniques to visualize the interior of the body, and the procedure is performed while being monitored on screens. There are also common procedures where interventional radiology is used, such as placing tubes for drug and nutrient intake into blood vessels or subcutaneously, delivering coagulants directly to areas of bleeding, and placing feeding tubes into the stomach.

What Diseases Does Interventional Radiology Address?

Interventional radiology can deal with all types of diseases that occur outside the cardiovascular system. It assists in procedures such as all needle biopsies, abscess drainages, biliary and urinary tract obstructions, and cancer treatments. In the field of vascular diseases and treatments, it helps alleviate stenoses and blockages through stenting. In addition to stenting, it aids in relieving vascular obstructions and stenoses using drug-eluting or non-drug balloons via the balloon angioplasty method. It can also be used for thrombectomy or vascular shaving procedures to remove clots that develop within blood vessels. Another condition that can cause stenosis and blockage in the blood vessels is diabetic foot. In patients with diabetic foot, interventional radiology can help alleviate stenoses and blockages. Other diseases treated for vascular stenosis and blockage include dialysis fistula stenosis, Buerger's disease, myoma embolization, and hemorrhoids. Beyond these, interventional radiology can also serve as an auxiliary treatment in conditions like stroke treatment, aneurysm treatment in the brain, retinoblastoma, and bone cancers.

Cancer Treatment
Interventional radiology is used in cancer treatments or to relieve pain caused by cancers such as bone cancer. The types of cancers for which interventional radiology is used in treatment include bone and soft tissue, breast, kidney, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancers. It can be utilized for situations such as delivering chemotherapy drugs or blocking blood flow to tumors. It is effective not only for treatment but also in the diagnosis of cancer. Needle biopsy allows for the collection of samples from the breast, lung, and other types of cancers for pathological diagnosis.

Hepatobiliary Disease Treatments
The term hepatobiliary system refers to the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas. In hepatobiliary diseases, interventional radiology offers treatment options for blocked bile ducts, liver cirrhosis, and end-stage liver failure.

Women's Health Treatments
Interventional radiology also includes procedures performed for women's health. These procedures include fallopian tube recanalization for infertility treatment and procedures for pelvic congestion syndrome. Fallopian tube catheterization allows for the non-surgical opening of the fallopian tubes in infertility treatment. In cases of life-threatening bleeding after childbirth, the uterine artery can be occluded with coagulants to stop the bleeding.

Male Infertility Treatment
If male infertility is caused by the dilation of blood vessels within the scrotum, interventional radiology plays a role in treatment. By placing a stent via embolization, blood flow to the enlarged vessels is reduced, alleviating the pressure that causes infertility in the scrotal blood vessels.

Endocrine System Disease Treatments
Interventional radiology is applied in the ablation of adrenal adenomas, sampling adrenal vessels, parathyroid adenomas, and in the treatment and biopsy of thyroid nodules. Biliary drainage and stenting are performed to open blocked channels and ensure the flow of bile from the liver.

What Types of Procedures Are Performed in Interventional Radiology?

Before procedures, patients are advised not to eat anything, and sedative medications may be given if necessary. Local anesthesia is administered to the area where the procedure will be performed to eliminate pain, and the procedure begins. Interventional radiology encompasses treatment procedures for various diseases. These procedures can be listed as follows:

• Percutaneous biopsy of soft tissue, liver, and kidney
• Drainage procedures for abscesses and fluids
• Biliary interventions, which involve placing catheters or stents in cases of bile duct obstructions
• Embolization (vascular occlusion) procedures performed to stop bleeding
• Treatments for cancer, including chemoembolization, radioembolization, microwave ablation, malignant stricture stenting, and portal vein embolization
• Biopsies of the thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, portal vein, and adrenal vein
• Urinary drainage
• Prostate artery embolization
• Removal of liver fluid via biliary drainage
• Pain management treatments
• Ablation procedures that destroy targeted cells using high-frequency electric currents and heat
• Angiography using contrast dye to visualize blood flow and identify obstructed vessels
• Needle biopsies necessary for the diagnosis of tumors
• Placement of feeding tubes for individuals experiencing swallowing or eating difficulties
• Vertebroplasty, a procedure where balloons containing necessary materials are inserted to treat vertebral fractures
• Radiofrequency ablation used to reduce nerve pain
• Nephrostomy, a drainage procedure used to open a blocked kidney

Benefits of Interventional Radiology

Compared to open surgical procedures, interventional radiology causes less pain and blood loss. It also presents lower risks for individuals at risk from anesthesia. Interventional radiology has many benefits regarding the type of treatment and the diseases it can treat. These include:

• Generally, there is no need for general anesthesia, and procedures can be performed with local anesthesia.
• Procedures can be performed through small incisions without large surgical openings.
• They are procedures that can easily be performed within the day.
• Recovery to normal life is quick, and hospitalization is not required.
• Medical imaging technologies enhance the visualization of the treated area, increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment.
• The risk of blood loss and infection is low because the area of contact is minimal and the procedure is conducted in a sterile manner.
• The use of thin guides reduces the likelihood of damaging surrounding healthy tissues, allowing the procedure to be focused solely on the necessary area.
• It causes less pain and bleeding since it does not require major operations like stitches or deep cuts.
• Hospital stays are generally not necessary.

Interventional radiology is applied by specialized interventional radiologists and achieves positive results in the treatment and diagnosis of various diseases, from cancer to vascular obstructions. The imaging techniques and quality used during the procedures are also important for the quality of the procedure. The decision to use interventional radiology is made and implemented by the doctor. The main equipment used includes guides, catheters, and stents. The imaging method and equipment used can vary for each disease. Interventional radiology procedures generally encompass treatments conducted under the control of imaging techniques.