Radiology
With the help of imaging, interventional radiology allows diagnostic or therapeutic procedures inside the body that would otherwise require surgery. Radiological procedures do not require skin incisions and can often be carried out under local anaesthetic. As a patient, you will experience significantly less stress and benefit from the fact that the procedures can usually be carried out on an outpatient basis.
How do these procedures work?
After a local anaesthetic, millimetre-thin instruments are inserted into the body through a puncture site in the skin, which fulfil a specific purpose depending on the issue at hand. These may be biopsy needles, grasping forceps, guide wires, balloons or catheters. With the help of X-ray, CT or ultrasound equipment, the instruments inside can be observed, controlled and guided to the site of the change. As a rule, the existing blood vessels form the natural route to the treatment site. The radiologist always follows the position of the instrument on the screen and can therefore place it safely and precisely.
Examples of such applications include the targeted application of medication directly to the spine or spinal cord for pain therapy. Angioplasty, in which a blood vessel blockage is reopened from within the vessel using balloons or stents, should also be mentioned at this point.
The interventional radiologists work closely with the general practitioners and specialists, for example in angiology, orthopaedics or surgery, to coordinate pre- and post-treatment.
Examples of such applications include the targeted application of medication directly to the spine or spinal cord for pain therapy. Angioplasty, in which a blood vessel blockage is reopened from within the vessel using balloons or stents, should also be mentioned at this point.
The interventional radiologists work closely with the general practitioners and specialists, for example in angiology, orthopaedics or surgery, to coordinate pre- and post-treatment.
Our services in the field of interventional radiology
Pain therapy
- Periradicular and epidural pain treatment (e.g. for sciatica)
- Radiofrequency ablation to interrupt pain signals
- Diagnostic infiltrations to clarify unclear pain conditions (e.g. suspected tendon irritation)
- Neural therapy for holistic treatment of the autonomic nervous system
- Local pain therapy such as zoeliac blocks (e.g. for pancreatic tumours)
Diagnostic, therapeutic punctures
- CT- or ultrasound-guided tissue removal, for example for thyroid changes or to clarify tumours of the mammary gland
- Therapeutic punctures or drainage inserts for bleeding, abscesses, ascites and drainage disorders of the biliary and urinary tracts
Vascular interventions
- Angioplasty (procedure to widen or reopen constricted or blocked blood vessels) with balloon catheter or stent implantation
- Recanalisation of arterial vascular occlusions, dialysis shunt (artificially created vascular connection required for blood washing)
- Installation of indwelling venous catheters (PICC) for long-term infusion administration or blood sampling
Interventional radiology fact sheets
Are you planning an interventional radiological procedure? We have compiled all the important information for you in the following documents.
