The RUSH Approach to Interventional Radiology
Many patients like you are benefiting from one of the biggest medical advances in recent years: interventional radiology. The list of medical problems that can be treated without surgery by RUSH interventional radiologists continues to grow and includes everything from vascular problems to cancer.
Incisions for interventional radiology procedures are very small, no larger than the tip of a pencil. This means you’ll experience less pain and less risk. RUSH interventional radiologists thread thin wires and tiny specialized instruments through the incision (often through an artery). These highly trained physicians then use the following approaches:
- Applying heat or radiation
- Blocking the blood supply (embolization)
- Freezing (cyroblation)
- Injecting medication or other substances
- Placing stents
Throughout the procedure, RUSH interventional radiologists are guided by detailed videos of the inside of your body, captured by ultrasound, MRI, and other advanced imaging technologies.
Meet our interventional radiology providers
RUSH Excellence in Interventional Radiology
- Reduced recovery time: Many open surgeries can now be replaced with interventional radiology procedures. One example is uterine fibroids in women, which can be treated through a tiny pinprick in the groin. After threading a catheter up a blood vessel, our interventional radiologists inject a material that stops the blood flow to those fibroids. Patients typically go home the next day.
- Advanced, leading-edge care: We successfully perform complex interventional radiology procedures that are not widely available elsewhere. Our team includes internationally renowned interventional radiologists who have helped pioneer and advance many interventional techniques used today. They successfully perform intricate procedures that not many others in the region can. Many of our physicians work to uncover new uses for interventional radiology approaches through research and participation in clinical trials, as well as refine current procedures. All of this means that you have access to interventional radiology approaches that are among the most advanced possible at RUSH.
- New robotic-assisted technology: Rush is the first health center in the Midwest to use Quantum Surgical’s Epione platform. It enables interventional radiologists to perform minimally invasive ablations on small abdominal tumors with high precision via a robotic arm. With this technology, they can treat patients and send them home, often the same day, with just a small bandage.
- Highly experienced physicians: Our physicians are board-certified radiologists who have undergone extensive additional training and completed fellowships in interventional radiology. They treat more than 6,000 patients a year across the RUSH system
- Collaboration with RUSH surgeons and specialists: We work very closely with other physicians at RUSH, including oncologists, cardiovascular/thoracic surgeons, gastrointestinal specialists, general surgeons and nephrologists. In some cases, RUSH surgeons may refer you to us when a surgical procedure can be safely replaced with an interventional radiology procedure. We may also refer patients to experienced RUSH surgeons if your condition requires surgery.
- Convenient access: If you would like to talk with one of our interventional radiologists about your treatment options, you can schedule an outpatient appointment within one to two weeks of calling RUSH. We can offer both virtual and in-person appointments.
- Patient-centered care: During your appointment, we will coordinate any tests you may need to reduce the time you have to spend traveling to medical facilities. We will also encourage you to ask a lot of questions. Our goal is to ensure you feel comfortable about the treatment and have a full understanding of what the procedure involves.
