With 100+ imaging centers throughout Pennsylvania, western New York, and western Maryland, UPMC Imaging Services offers interventional radiology (IR) near you.
IR is an option to treat many conditions in place of major surgery. And, in some cases, you don't need to stay in the hospital.
On this page:
IR techniques both diagnose and treat a broad range of diseases. They provide a less invasive option than surgery.
Doctors use various small instruments — such as tubes or wires — and x-rays, CT scans, or ultrasound guidance.
Often, they only need to make tiny, pinhole-sized incisions to guide the tools right to where you need treatment.
IR can treat a number of health conditions.
If you have any of the following, talk to your doctor to see if IR is a suitable treatment option.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that occurs when the cells of the prostate gland multiply. It is typically caused by age.
There are many treatments for BPH, including prostate artery embolization (PAE).
PAE is a minimally invasive IR procedure performed that shrinks the prostate to reduce lower urinary tract symptoms such as:
PAE has less risk, less pain, and a shorter recovery time than traditional surgery. And it doesn’t cause sexual side effects typically associated with invasive surgeries.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) results from the formation of blood clots in the deep veins of the:
DVT can lead to pain and swelling. Medicine is often the first line of treatment.
Extensive DVT may require IR treatment such as a thrombectomy. This minimally invasive procedure removes the clot in the veins and restores proper blood flow.
HHT is a genetic disorder that affects about one in 5000 people, or 1.4 million people worldwide. It causes improper connections between arteries and veins.
Those with HHT can often experience pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVM). Interventional radiologists can treat PAVM through embolization, by blocking off abnormal arteries with a catheter.
If you have HHT, the HHT Center of Excellence of UPMC offers screenings.
OA is the most common form of arthritis. It’s a degenerative joint disease that can worsen over time and result in chronic pain.
Interventional radiologists can treat OA that occurs in the knee using geniculate artery embolization (GAE).
GAE is a minimally invasive procedure that aims to reduce abnormal blood flow around the knee joint to:
Interventional radiologists perform GAE through a pinhole incision in the groin while you’re under twilight sedation. It typically takes one to two hours, and you often can go home the same day.
You can usually return to your normal routine within one to two days after the procedure.
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are blood vessel disorders where the connection between arteries and veins are abnormal. AVMs can occur anywhere in the body and may be congenital or acquired.
A pulmonary AVM (PAVM) occurs in the lungs, in which blood returns to the heart without enough oxygen.
Interventional radiologists can treat PAVM through embolization by blocking off abnormal arteries with a catheter. This helps increase oxygen levels throughout the body and eliminate PAVM symptoms like shortness of breath.
Uterine fibroids, or leiomyomas, are benign growths on or in the uterus. These benign tumors can cause significant symptoms including pain, cramping, frequent urination, and very heavy vaginal bleeding.
Interventional radiologists can treat fibroids using uterine artery embolization (UAE).
During UAE, they:
UAE can help shrink the fibroids and improve symptoms.
Your health information, right at your fingertips. Select MyUPMC to access your UPMC health information. For patients of UPMC-affiliated doctors in Central Pa, select UPMC Central Pa Portal. Patients of UPMC Cole should select the UPMC Cole Connect Patient Portal.
The portal for all UPMC patients EXCEPT those in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC patients in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC Cole patients receiving inpatient care.
