Vascular and Interventional Radiologist
Specialists:
A vascular and interventional radiologist is a doctor who uses imaging technology and catheter-based procedures to diagnose and treat diseases. They focus on diseases of the blood vessels and lymphatic system, but also treat other conditions, such as cancer and infertility.
Why do you need to see them?
Your primary care doctor may refer you to a vascular and interventional radiologist for a diagnostic imaging test such as an angiogram or CT scan. Vascular and interventional radiologists are experts in using minimally-invasive image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases, disorders, and conditions.
Conditions that vascular and interventional radiologists diagnose and possibly treat include:
- Blood clots including deep vein thrombosis in the leg or pelvis and pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung)
- Brain conditions including stroke, brain hemorrhage (bleeding), and brain aneurysms
- Cancer and tumours including bone, breast, kidney, liver, and lung cancer
- Female health conditions include pelvic pain, infertility, and uterine fibroids
- Hemorrhage (bleeding) due to injury or trauma or bleeding after childbirth
- Kidney diseases including renal hypertension (high blood pressure) and renal failure
- Liver disease including portal hypertension and bile duct obstruction
- Male genitourinary tract conditions including infertility caused by a varicocele (a varicose vein in the scrotum)
- Vascular problems including peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease, varicose veins, and vascular insufficiency
What do they do?
A vascular and interventional radiologist can order or perform and interpret a wide variety of imaging tests and procedures that include:
- Angiography to see how blood flows through blood vessels, such as cerebral angiography of the brain
- Biopsies with CT or ultrasound guidance to diagnose cancer and other diseases
- CT scan (computed tomography) to produce highly detailed images of the internal organs and anatomy, such as chest CT, brain CT, and abdominal CT
- Fluoroscopy, a moving X-ray image to guide diagnostic and minimally invasive interventional procedures, such as voiding cystourethrogram, esophagram, upper GI series, and contrast enemas
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to produce highly detailed images using the body’s natural magnetism and radio wave energy, such as a head MRI to diagnose a stroke or aneurysm
- Nuclear imaging scans trace amounts of radioactive substances to show organ structure and function and diseased tissue such as cancer. Nuclear imaging scans include kidney scans and liver scans.
- Ultrasound using sound waves to see internal organs and structures, such as kidney and abdominal ultrasound
- X-rays include radiographs of almost any part of the body including bones, joints, chest, and abdomen
Physician consultation is a good opportunity and you should be prepared for it.
- Carry all necessary medical records for the discussion. It helps in better understanding your heart condition and avoids repetition of diagnostic tests.
- Make sure you discuss your past medical history, surgical history, family history, and medications that you are taking.
- Discuss about your lifestyle habits, dietary habits and also about your profession. Your lifestyle and nature of job may be associated with the risk for cardiac diseases.