Cross-sectional Interventional Service (CIS ) — A Guide for Patients Home | Preparing for the Procedure | The Procedure Itself | After the Procedure | Quick Reminder

The Procedure Itself

After you change into a hospital gown, the nurse or technologist will place an intravenous line in your arm. This line will enable us to give you fluids and medications to alleviate discomfort or anxiety during the procedure. Your blood pressure will be taken, and a small probe will be placed on your finger to monitor your blood oxygen level. You will also be attached to a cardiac monitor during the procedure. Preliminary images will help the radiologist to plan the procedure. Then the skin will be prepared sterilely and local anesthesia will be administered. For most studies your anesthesia will not put you to sleep because you will need to follow breathing instructions during the procedure. Then, your interventional radiologist will use the imaging device to guide a needle into your body for purposes of performing the intervention. Typical interventions include biopsy, catheter placement and ablation of solid lesions.

Types of Interventions

Biopsy A tissue biopsy is performed to identify the type of tissue or fluid comprising your lesion. During imaging, small needles are guided to the lesion. Then a small amount of tissue or fluid is extracted for examination under the microscope. More than one needle pass is made to assure the removal of sufficient material at the designated sites. Fluid Drainage Using imaging guidance, a small catheter is placed through the skin and into the fluid collection to provide drainage to an outside container. Ablation Ablation is performed to remove unwanted tissues. For this procedure, either a high-energy material (such as laser energy) or a medication is injected into the tissue. During the following several days, the target cells die and are removed by normal body processes.

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