Interventional Radiology is a department that, with the guidance of imaging techniques like angiography, ultrasonography, and computerized tomography, performs non-surgical treatments which are normally carried out by surgical means. Unlike other medical branches such as eye diseases or heart diseases, Interventional Radiology does not focus on a single topic or organ system. It makes possible to perform non-surgical treatments which in the past used to be done surgically with regard to several organ systems.

Interventional Radiology covers all angiographic blood vessel treatments (occlusions, aneurism, hemorrhage etc.) except for cardiac veins, along with needle biopsies and treatment of bodily fluids and cysts. It also covers the treatment of certain cancer types (in particular liver cancer), and also variceal treatment. As is seen, Interventional Radiology treats a large variety of different diseases, notably vascular diseases. The common aspect of all procedures is that they are all performed through a pinhole without the need for surgery. In Interventional Radiology, high-tech instruments are usually used to treat the patients.

The most important characteristic of Interventional Radiology treatments is that they make it possible to perform non-surgical treatments which in the past used to be done surgically. Treatments are not performed in operating rooms, but either in an angiography room or regular treatment rooms. In contrast to surgery, Interventional Radiology procedures:

• do generally not require anesthesia (narcosis)
• are performed through a pinhole, without leaving any surgical scars
• patients are generally be discharged from hospital the same day
• are easier to perform and associated with lower risk
• the time to resume normal life is much shorter.

At the Interventional Radiology Clinic, a sedative and if necessary painkillers are administered to each patient prior to the procedure (sedation and analgesics). No matter how easy or convenient the procedure is, patients may feel pain due to needle insertion and it is necessary to relieve this pain by simple means. In addition, some patients may feel anxious, scared or worried before the procedure. The administration of these drugs helps to eliminate the patients' anxiety and distress about the procedure. In almost all procedures, the patient is discharged from hospital the same day. Occasionally, patients may have to stay at the hospital for a single day. 4 to 6 hours bedrest and monitoring are required subsequent to angiography, whereas the time required for other procedures is more variable. For instance, patients undergoing variceal treatment by laser or RF can be sent home right after the procedure.