Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology is a subspecialty of radiology in which minimally invasive procedures are performed using image guidance. Some of these procedures are done for purely diagnostic purposes, while others are done for treatment purposes.
Interventional radiologists are board-certified physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-rays, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, usually in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease non-surgically.
As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine.
Today many conditions that once required surgery can be treated non-surgically by the interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Some procedures include:
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization
- Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty for compression fractures
- Chemoembolization for tumors
- Radio frequency ablation
- Varicocele Embolization
The Interventional Radiology services at Exempla Saint Joseph Service include:
- New state-of-the-art CT/Angio suite
- Bi-Plane Imaging Suite
- 100% of staff are registered in Vascular Interventional Radiology.
- All doctors are board certified in Interventional Radiology and are experts in radiation safety
- Dr. Mike Podolak, one of Denver's top doctors as listed in "5280" magazine, is Medical Director.
- Dr. Thomas Barsch, one of Denver's top doctors as listed in "5280" magazine.
- Dr. Steve Johnson, former faculty member of the University of Colo. Health Sciences Center (UCHSC), trained Fellows in Interventional Radiology
- Combination of Vascular Surgeons and Interventional Radiologists working together to service the community
- Radiology RN's on staff working with patients
- Coding specialist on staff to ensure accuracy
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