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Interventional Neuroradiology (INR) uses the imaging of Radiology to perform micro-invasive vascular neurological surgeries to diagnose and treat abnormalities of the blood vessels of the brain, head/neck, and spine. These procedures are done generally through a tiny hole in the skin at the wrist or at the top of the leg in the groin area. Very small catheters and guide wires are then navigated throughout the arteries and veins of the body with real-time x-ray imaging to where the abnormality is located. An angiogram (specialized imaging that highlights arteries and veins) is then done to provide high resolution pictures that define the abnormality so your doctor can diagnose or treat and cure the problem. Some of the more common diseases we encounter are brain aneurysms, vascular malformations, and blood clots in the brain.
Brain aneurysms are enlarged areas of arteries that supply the brain. They begin as a weak spot in the artery wall that slowly gallons outward as the area is exposed to contact pressures and stresses. The stretched artery wall can then rupture resulting in bleeding around and into the brain. These events can be devastating but with many years of experience and incredible advances in technology over the last 30 years to detect and treat these aneurysms, we can prevent many severe neurologic injuries and deaths. Often, patients wake up after surgery wondering if anything actually happened while they were asleep.
Vascular malformations are abnormal arteries and veins clustered together in and around the brain and spine. We find them when patients have CT or MRI scans of the brain for other reasons, or when patients start having headaches, seizures, or specific neurologic symptoms like loss of strength, sensation, speech, vision, balance and coordination, etc. These diseases are rather complex and treatment can start with an embolization surgery to plug up the abnormal blood vessels. Surgery or focused radiation therapy may also be needed to achieve a cure.
Acute stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability throughout the world with devastating effects on patients and their families health and finances. When the larger arteries in the brain are suddenly blocked with a small blood clot, time is of the essence as millions of brain cells are lost for every minute of blood flow impairment. When we can determine with cutting edge imaging scans that there is a large area that is threatened but not yet permanently damaged, interventional neuroradiologists can very quickly navigate specialized extraction tools through the arteries to the location of the blood clot and restore blood flow to the affect part of the brain.