Boston Medical Center's Interventional Radiology physicians are committed to providing comprehensive care. Working in a multidisciplinary, collaborative environment, the interventional radiologists and team of specialized physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses ensure the best patient care in the New England region.
Beginning with angioplasty and stenting, interventional radiologists have been pioneering innovative treatment methods for decades. These methods have revolutionized minimally-invasive treatment, giving patients more satisfactory outcomes with less pain and shorter recovery times. Procedures that used to require open surgery can now be performed through a small incision using catheters (small, flexible tubes) to guide devices into place. Boston Medical Center's Interventional Radiology program is proud to be home to a highly-skilled team that has dedicated its training to performing these procedures and providing patients with exceptional care.
Areas of Expertise
- Cancer Therapies
- Men’s Health – Male Infertility and Varicocele
- Neuro-Interventions – Stroke, Carotid Artery Disease, and Carotid Stent
- Non-Vascular Disease - Biliary Drainage & Stenting, Nephrostomy, and Gastrostomy
- Osteoporosis
- Varicose Veins
- Vascular Disease -Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Angioplasty, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Dialysis Access, Endovascular Stent Graft, Peripheral Arterial Disease (Balloon & Stent), Portal Hypertension, TIPS (Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt), Vein Ablation, and Vena Cava Filters
- Venous Access
- Women’s Health
Specialty Clinics
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Program (HHT)
Treatments & Services
Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)
A minimally invasive procedure that treats fibroids in the uterus which are causing heavy menstrual bleeding, pain, and pressure on the bladder or bowel. Using fluoroscopy, which is real-time x-ray, a doctor inserts medication into the uterus and fibroids that will block the arteries providing blood to the fibroids. This stops them from growing and causes them to shrink.
Embolization
To put a medication or device into the bloodstream that will block blood vessels.
Kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty is a procedure that can help stop pain caused by a spinal fracture. A small incision is made in the back and the doctor uses fluoroscopy (real time X-ray), to place a narrow tube up to the affected vertebrae. Then, through the tube, the doctor inflates a balloon that raises the vertebrae and places a cement-like material to stabilize the bone where it should be.
Vertebroplasty
A procedure that can help stop pain caused by a spinal fracture. A small incision is made in the back and the doctor places cement like material in the vertebrae to stabilize the bone where it should be.
Chemoembolization
This is when medications to treat cancer are injected directly into the blood vessels that feed a cancerous tumor.
Radiofrequency Ablation for Cancer
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a cancer treatment in which radiofrequency energy—derived from electric and magnetic energy—is sent by means of a narrow probe that is placed in the center of a lung tumor. Surgical incisions are not required, and the probes are placed into tumors using CT scan to guide the physician. RFA is a newer method of treating lung cancer, as well as cancers of the liver, kidney, and bone. RFA can target and kill cancerous cells sparing healthy tissues that are close to the cancer. Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy and certain types of radiation are absorbed into both healthy and diseased tissue, whereas RFA is delivered directly into a tumor.
Venous Access
Venous Access is when a catheter is placed inside of a vein, usually in the arm, neck, or chest, so that medication can be delivered directly into the blood, without repeatedly puncturing blood vessels.
Carotid Stenting
When a stent, a small mesh tube that's used to treat narrow or weak arteries, is placed into the carotid artery in the neck to open the artery and allow better blood flow.
Endovascular stent grafts
This is used to treat aneurysms using a minimally invasive approach. In the procedure, the doctor threads a stent (small mesh tube) through a catheter inside of the aneurysm so that blood flows in the proper direction.
Laser therapy
This is a medical treatment that uses focused light. Surgeons can focus on a small area and damage less of the surrounding tissue. Patients who have laser therapy may experience less pain, swelling, and scarring than with traditional surgery.