Centre of Excellence for Interventional Radiology

Minimally invasive interventions in different parts of the body without major surgeries.

Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiology is the therapeutic section of radiology in which various imaging techniques are used, to perform minimally invasive interventions in different parts of the body, without large incisions or surgery and mostly under local anesthesia. Thus, many of these interventional methods can be performed as gentle alternatives to more complex surgeries or other invasive procedures.
 

In our network of practices, interventional procedures are usually performed under CT control at the ISAR Klinikum, which is specialized in oncology. Due to our close cooperation with the clinical department, inpatient monitoring after the procedure as well as presentation to the interdisciplinary tumor board can be offered.

In case of tumor diseases, the removal of a tissue sample (biopsy) from the affected organ is usually an important validation for confirming the diagnosis and planning an accurate and individualized therapy. With the CT, tumor tissues can be removed from almost all parts of the body in a targeted and gentle method. Then the tissue will be examined through our cooperating practices of pathology. A precise diagnosis of the tumor tissue is performed, if necessary, also with assessment of different tumor receptors. In cooperation with the clinical departments at the ISAR Klinikum, modern next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the tumor tissue obtained by biopsy, can be offered on request. The patients and their findings can also be presented to the interdisciplinary tumor board or the molecular tumor board of the ISAR Klinikum for a therapy recommendation.

Example of a CT-guided biopsy: The patient had noticed an increased lymph node (highlighted in the left image), which led to congestion of the kidney due to compression of the ureter. A CT-guided biopsy of the lymph node was performed, the result was a lymph node metastasis of a testicular tumor. Consequently, a targeted therapy could be initiated.

Inflammatory processes often lead to fluid retention or abscesses in the body, which usually have to be removed or drained out of the body. With the CT-guided drainage system, the interventional radiologist can puncture these inflammatory fluid accumulations or abscesses and precisely remove them from the body with a thin drainage. In most cases, this can help to avoid a surgery.

Example of a CT-guided drainage system: After surgical removal of liver metastases, the patient developed symptoms of an infection with fever. In a CT scan, an infected fluid collection adjacent to the operated area in the liver was noticed (highlighted in the left image).

Through so-called tumor ablation, tumors or metastases in different organs, e.g. liver, kidney or lung, can be treated minimally invasive using heat. The procedure is a gentle alternative to often complex surgical tumor removals. Through a small skin incision, a probe is inserted into the tumor under CT guidance by the interventional radiologist. The tumor is treated and destroyed by heat application. For this no major incisions are necessary and usually only a short in-patient stay of 1-2 nights after the procedure is necessary.

Example of a CT-guided tumor ablation: Treatment of a liver metastasis in segment 4 of the liver (highlighted in the left image). The interventional radiologist inserted a microwave ablation probe into the tumor (image in the middle). The heat was applied via the probe, and the metastases have been completely treated and destroyed (see in the picture on the right in a follow-up on the following day after the procedure).

Appointments

Our CT-guided interventions usually take place at our oncological center at the ISAR Klinikum. In preparation for the intervention, a preliminary consultation with the attending physician is first arranged, during which the explanation of the planned procedure takes place. You can make an appointment via phone 089 - 550 596 880. For the preliminary consultation, we ask you to bring current imaging, doctor's letters and laboratory results.