Interventional radiology

Radiology SA has a reputation as a leader in Interventional Radiology Services in SA. The specialty interventional radiologists in our group offer interventional services to all of the Radiology SA sites, particularly Calvary North Adelaide, Calvary Central Districts, Flinders Private Hospital and The Memorial Hospital.

Our interventional radiologists also provide services to our contract sites including the Lyell McEwan Hospital and Cairns Hospital. Many of our doctors have appointments at SA teaching hospitals such as the RAH, FMC, TQEH and WCH.

Services provided include, but are not limited to:

Spinal intervention

Lumbar puncture
Epidural, facet and medial branch injections
Biopsy and vertebroplasty

General biopsy, aspiration and drainage procedures

Therapeutic joint injections

Aspiration and therapeutic steroid injection
Hydrodilatation

Venous access

PICC lines
Infusaport
Dialysis catheter placement

Vascular and lymphatic

IVC filter placement and removal
Management of vascular malformations including embolisation and sclerotherapy
Arterial embolisation

Genitourinary

Nephrostomy
Ureteric stenting
Gonadal vein embolisation
Assessment of erectile dysfunction

Hepatobiliary

Biliary drainage and stenting

Needle placement for steroid injection around a lumbar nerve root (L) and placement of infusaport for therapy (R).

Highlighted procedures

Varicocele and pelvic congestion treatment

Radiology SA at our Memorial and Calvary North Adelaide rooms offer consultation, imaging work up and treatment for gonadal vein embolisation and occlusion.

The interventional radiologists are happy to see all patients referred for treatment and spend time consulting, imaging and explaining any potential procedure.

Following admission to one of our partner private hospitals the procedure can be performed with either local anaesthetic or under IV sedation with an anaesthetist.

A sheath is inserted in a vein in the arm or groin and through this a catheter (a small tube) is manipulated under imaging guidance into the vein that is to be occluded.

Once the catheter is in the correct location the targeted vein is occluded using either a venous sclerosant (such as Fibrovein of Aethoxysklerol) or a mechanical occlusion device such as metal coils.

The patients can then recover from their procedure in the comfort of the private hospital and can generally go home the same day.

Selective catheterisation of gonadal vein (L), with subsequent embolisation using coils (R).

Arterial embolisation

Radiology SA offers emergency and elective arterial embolisation services.

Indications include post or perioperative bleeding, active enteric bleeding or management of bleeding in those patients where surgery is not indicated or contraindicated.

Elective indications for embolisation include management of uterine fibroids, renal angiomyolipomata or preoperative tumour embolisation such as head and neck tumours, as well as some spinal and bone tumours.

These procedures generally involve admission to hospital and anaesthetic sedation and support. A sheath is generally placed in an artery in the arm or leg and then a catheter manipulated under imaging guidance to where the required arterial occlusion is to occur.

The radiologist will then place material to occlude the artery which could include PVA particle, coils, glue, metal plugs, gel foam or even a covered stent depending on the vessel to be occluded.

The sheath is then removed from the artery and the patient is recovered with appropriate analgesia.

CT scan of right renal tumour (L), with selective catheterisation pre embolisation (R).