Thanks to technology advances and sophisticated imaging equipment, interventional radiologists can perform minimally invasive, image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat disease in virtually every part of the body.
To bring this capability to Concord-area residents, Emerson Hospital has a team of specially trained interventional radiologists, nurses and technologists who perform a range of interventional radiology procedures that have lower risk, less pain and faster recovery time compared to open surgery.
Interventional radiology services are performed at our main campus in Concord.
The types of interventional radiology procedures available at Emerson Hospital
Emerson’s expert interventional radiology team performs a variety of procedures, including:
- Vascular studies - Non-invasive tests to check blood flow in your arteries and veins
- Needle biopsies - A small amount of tissue is removed with a needle placed through the skin (percutaneously) to the area of abnormality. Imaging guidance, such as ultrasound, x-ray, CT or MRI, is used to determine exactly where to place the needle and perform the biopsy.
- Catheter placements - Ultrasound or fluoroscopy (moving picture X-rays) is used to guide placement of catheters for vascular access or peritoneal dialysis, for example
- Uterine fibroid embolization - A high-definition X-ray camera guides the interventional radiologist to introduce a catheter into the uterine arteries to deliver particles that block blood flow to fibroids in the uterus.
- Paracentesis - Under image guidance, a needle is inserted to remove fluid that has collected in the belly (peritoneal fluid)
- Thoracentesis - Under image guidance, a needle is inserted into the pleural space between the lungs and chest wall to remove fluid
- IVC (interior vena cava) filter placement - Imaging guides placement of a small cone-shaped device implanted just below the kidneys to capture a blood clot that is broken loose from deep veins in the legs
- Epidural steroid injections - CT or X-rays are used to guide the accurate placement of a thin needle to inject a steroid and local anesthetic used for pain management
- Kyphoplasty - A minimally invasive, image-guided treatment for back pain caused by vertebral fractures
What an interventional radiology procedure involves
Your particular procedure may require special preparation, and a nurse from Interventional Radiology will contact you with specific instructions.
Interventional radiology procedures usually require local anesthesia, and the recovery time is fairly short. Many procedures are done on an outpatient basis.
Please discuss any specific questions about your procedure with your physician.
To obtain test results
By law, this requires a signed medical records release form and photo identification. To make a request, please call:
Reports only:
978-287-3870
Reports & images:
978-287-2925
To Schedule an appointment
To schedule an appointment for an interventional radiology visit, please call
978-287-3003.
