Also known as neuroendovascular surgery, neurointerventional radiology is a subspecialty of radiology that treats vascular diseases of the central nervous system using minimally invasive techniques guided by various forms of medical imaging.
The neurointerventional radiologist uses tiny catheters and special equipment to access blood vessels in the head, neck and spine and treat disease. This helps to reduce or eliminate the need for open surgery and its associated risks.
There are several types of treatment techniques that may be performed by a neurointerventional radiologist:
- Angioplasty uses a balloon inflated inside the blood vessel to open a narrowed artery
- Stenting uses a metal scaffolding to keep the artery open after a widening procedure
- Endovascular coiling involves the placement of special coils inside an aneurysm to block blood flow
- Thrombolysis is the precise injection of medication to dissolve blood clots
- Embolization blocks the flow of blood through an abnormal vessel or to starve a tumor of its blood supply
The neurointerventional treatments and procedures offered by LVI physicians include:
- Embolization of vascular malformations
- Arteriovenous fistulas (AVF)
- Embolization of tumors
- Acute ischemic stroke with clot retrieval devices