Before treatment
You will meet with a board-certified interventional radiologist for a consultation, who will review your medical history and discuss treatment options. Lab tests might be performed during this appointment as well. If you are a candidate for an interventional radiology procedure, it will be scheduled at a nearby hospital or clinic.
Before your procedure, you will be asked to review educational materials and follow pre-operation instructions. This might include fasting and forgoing certain medications.
Day of treatment
On the day of your interventional radiology procedure, you will fill out paperwork and possibly have blood drawn for final lab work. You will change into a gown and be taken to a procedure room that might feel similar to a surgical suite. You will lie on a special table and we will dim or turn off the lights. In most cases, you will receive an injection at the start of the procedure to provide necessary dye, medication or sedation. Interventional radiology patients rarely receive general anesthesia.
After treatment
Procedure time varies from case to case, but is generally less than four hours. You will be taken to a recovery room and monitored closely after the procedure. After a few hours, you can have someone drive you home and assist with post-procedure instructions.
