What is Interventional Radiology? Its Role in Diagnosis and Treatment Processes

What is Interventional Radiology? Which Diseases Does It Treat?

Radiology, one of the most important specialties gained by the medical world through developments in health technology, is defined as obtaining images of the internal structure of the body from different angles using various methods. Today, radiology is utilized not only for diagnosing diseases but also in the treatment process. Thanks to the therapeutic part of radiology, also known as interventional radiology, many health issues can be treated using minimally invasive methods (with minimal incisions). Imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), X-ray, and ultrasonography (US) form the basis of diagnostic radiology. Additionally, these imaging methods are also used to guide many treatment procedures, such as opening blocked vessels and reducing tumors.

Our Integrated Oncology Center offers patients a multifaceted diagnosis and treatment opportunity with a multidisciplinary approach. Questions about what radiological imaging devices are, how they are used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and what services are provided by the Integrated Oncology Department are addressed in the following sections of this article.

What is Interventional Radiology?

Radiology is one of the specialties that holds an important place in modern medical science. The radiology department plays an effective role in diagnosing and treating certain health problems by examining the internal structure of the human body using imaging methods. Radiological imaging techniques are among the best examples of technological advancements in the medical field. Thanks to these imaging methods, it is possible to visualize the internal structure of the body. With the rapid advancement in technology, these imaging devices are also evolving every day. This allows specialists to examine the internal structure of the body in more detail and obtain more accurate results. With the help of radiology specialists and doctors, diseases can be diagnosed early, treatment processes can be managed more effectively, and in necessary cases, diseases can be treated using minimally invasive methods without the need for open surgery.

In the years when X-rays were first discovered, X-ray devices played an active role in the diagnosis and treatment processes of diseases, and today, with the development of computer technology, methods such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MR), and ultrasonography are also frequently used.

Which Diseases Are Diagnosed and Treated with Interventional Radiology?

Interventional radiology is a specialty that allows medical interventions to be performed without surgical incisions. Specialists manage the diagnosis and treatment process by entering the body through small openings made in the skin under the guidance of imaging devices. Diagnostic applications such as biopsy, drainage, and angiography, as well as treatment methods such as stent placement, aneurysm treatment, thrombolytic therapy, tumor ablation, and sclerotherapy, are successfully applied. The main diseases treated in interventional radiology can be listed as follows:

• Placement of balloons or stents in patients with vascular occlusions using angiography,
• Treatment of arterial aneurysms occurring in the chest and abdominal regions through minimal invasive methods from the groin,
• Treatment of aneurysms in brain vessels,
• Treatment of varicose veins diagnosed with color Doppler and ultrasonography using laser inside the vein,
• In procedures such as administering chemotherapy drugs to tumors, especially those seen in the liver, through the artery, the port catheter application is also frequently preferred,
• Pain treatment applied by injecting anesthetic drugs into nerves causing pain using ultrasonography and computed tomography.

Since the incisions made in the above-mentioned treatment methods are quite small, patients can return to their daily lives quickly. If you would like to obtain detailed information, do not forget to make an appointment with Assoc. Prof. Dr. S. Hilmi Aksoy or visit our hospital.

3 Tesla MR

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) is one of the most frequently preferred imaging techniques among digital imaging techniques due to its imaging power. The term tesla in 3 Tesla MR refers to the imaging power of magnetic resonance imaging. The magnetic field strength of MR devices used in clinical practice ranges from 0.2 Tesla to 3 Tesla. Values of 3 Tesla MR and above indicate very high magnetic field strength. 3 Tesla MR allows specialists to obtain more detailed and clearer images from the patient’s body. Additionally, with 3 Tesla MR, more advanced images can be obtained in a shorter time, meaning that the patient’s body images can be obtained more quickly.

640 Slice CT

Computed tomography (CT) is an important part of medical imaging. Computed tomography is an imaging technique that allows the acquisition of cross-sectional images of the body’s internal area from front to back, side to side, and top to bottom using X-rays, and the obtained images are transferred to a computer for examination. CT allows for obtaining more detailed images in a shorter time. During tomography, the rays emitted from the X-ray tube are captured by detectors, and cross-sectional images of the examined area of the patient are obtained. While imaging was generally done with fewer detectors in previous years, today more advanced devices such as 640 slice CT are used. With 640 slice CT, specialists can obtain more cross-sectional images and perform more detailed examinations in a shorter time.

X-ray

One of the oldest imaging methods is X-ray. X-rays cannot pass through hard tissues like bones while passing through soft tissues in the body. The working principle of X-ray devices is based on this density difference between the tissues in the body. Therefore, X-ray technology is utilized especially in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of bone fractures, bone tumors, or lung diseases. Color Doppler

Doppler technology is an imaging technique that uses sound waves instead of X-rays. The most important feature that distinguishes color Doppler from normal ultrasound is that it shows blood flow in vessels. This allows for the quick diagnosis of health issues such as blockages in vessels, varicose veins, and aneurysms.

Digital Mammography and Tomosynthesis

Mammography is an important imaging technique in the diagnosis of breast cancer. In classical mammography, the images taken from the patient’s breast are transferred onto film, while with the help of advancing technology, the images can be transferred to a computer environment for examination. This method, called digital mammography, allows specialists to obtain more detailed results in a shorter time. In addition, digital mammography and tomosynthesis imaging methods are widely used in the diagnosis of breast cancer today. In the digital mammography method, the X-ray reflecting tube remains stationary, while in tomosynthesis, the tube is movable. This allows for the three-dimensional image of the breast to be obtained.

The imaging methods mentioned above play an active role in the diagnosis and treatment processes of many health issues. In some cases, a serious health problem can be diagnosed early during a routine imaging session. Do not forget to make an appointment with a specialist doctor and have your necessary check-ups.

Integrated Oncology Center

The Integrated Oncology Center operating within our hospital provides comprehensive and modern services for cancer patients. The expert staff of our Integrated Oncology Center aims to offer the highest level of health services to patients by combining new generation devices and the most advanced treatment methods with their knowledge and experience. In our Integrated Oncology Center, where specialists from different branches work with a multidisciplinary approach, the diagnosis and treatment processes of our patients are closely monitored, and the following services are provided:

• oncological diagnosis,
• medical genetics,
• medical oncology,
• interventional oncology,
• oncological surgery,
• radiation oncology,
• hematological oncology,
• nuclear medicine and inpatient radioactive iodine treatment,
• hyperbaric oxygen therapy,
• palliative care.

Our center’s expert staff not only completes the treatment process of our patients in a single center but can also change the treatment procedure if necessary and prepare a personalized new treatment plan.

Advantages Provided by Our Integrated Oncology Center

Hisar Hospital Intercontinental has adopted providing superior quality health services in cancer treatment through the Integrated Oncology Center as a primary goal since its service journey began in 2005. Our Integrated Oncology Center, meticulously designed in accordance with Joint Commission International (JCI) standards, offers patients a comfortable diagnosis and treatment opportunity with its six-story building covering a total area of 5173 square meters.

Our expert doctor team, which operates with a human-centered approach, aims to provide high-quality health services to our patients by combining the opportunities offered by modern technology with their knowledge and experience. Our center, which operates with a multidisciplinary approach, aims to increase the quality of life of patients and ensure they take a step towards a healthy future by offering a wide range of diagnosis and treatment options, especially in cancer treatment.

While our Integrated Oncology Center ensures that our patients have a comfortable diagnosis and treatment experience, it also offers the opportunity to be treated with effective treatment plans specially prepared according to their needs and health status. The experienced staff of the Integrated Oncology Center aims to achieve the most effective result from the treatment process of our patients with an integrated approach. Our goal is to be alongside our patients in their fight against cancer and to improve their quality of life.

Cancer remains one of the serious health issues today. However, significant advancements have been made in cancer treatment, especially thanks to developments in the field of radiology. In health issues like cancer, where early diagnosis is critically important, radiology stands out as one of modern medicine’s strongest supporters. At this point, conducting the diagnosis and treatment process with a multidisciplinary approach in a single center can help increase the success rate of cancer treatment. In our Hisar Hospital Intercontinental Integrated Oncology Center, the diagnosis and treatment processes of all types of cancer diseases are carried out by expert physicians. Do not forget to make an appointment with a specialist doctor for detailed information.