to Interventional Oncology Procedures (Cancer care)
Overview
Interventional Radiologists play a critical role in the diagnosing and treating of cancer as well as cancer-related complications. At Triad Radiology Associates, we provide a variety of innovative services that offer new treatment and care possibilities for patients with cancer.
Interventional oncology procedures provide minimally invasive, targeted treatment of cancer for patients whose cancer cannot be surgically removed or effectively treated with systemic chemotherapy or radiation. When combined with current innovations, these image-guided techniques are able to treat the cancers while minimizing potential damage to other organs in the body. In most cases, these procedures are done on an outpatient basis.
Radioembolization and Chemoembolization of the Liver
Because most tumors in the liver are supplied by the hepatic artery, Interventional Radiologists can provide therapeutic arterial therapies delivering chemotherapy and radiation directly to the tumor and surrounding liver. These therapeutic procedures include radioembolization and chemoembolization.
• Radioembolization, also known as Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), is a technique in which a small catheter is used to deliver tiny glass beads called microspheres, which are filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90, directly into the small blood vessels supplying the liver tumor. Once the microspheres become lodged inside the tumor, they deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumor and to the surrounding liver and not to the rest of the body.
• Chemoembolization combines local delivery of chemotherapy with embolization. In chemoembolization, similar to radioembolization, a small catheter is used to delivery small beads covered with anticancer drugs directly into the blood vessels feeding the liver tumor. In addition, the beads act to block the small vessels, starving the tumor of blood supply.
Interventional Radiology
Ablation is a treatment that destroys liver, kidney, and lung tumors without removing them. These techniques are used in patients who are not good candidates for surgery (often because of poor health or reduced organ function). Interventional Radiologists at Triad Radiologists Associates use ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) to guide small probes through a small nick in the skin into the tumor inside the body. Thermal energy is used to destroy tumor cells.
Microwave ablation used microwaves producing intense heat to destroy tumor cells while Cryoablation uses intense cold to destroy tumor cells. Following the ablation, the probes are removed and small bandages are placed. Ablations are typically performed on an outpatient basis with general anesthesia.
The liver is an unique organ in that it can regrow (hypertrophy) after a section of it has been removed. However, in order for this regrowth to occur, a certain amount of the liver must be left behind after surgery. To speed this process up, portal vein embolization can be used to start the regrowth process prior to the surgery.
During the procedure, a needle is placed percutaneously (through the skin) into the liver. After that, the Interventional Radiologist will embolize or block off the blood vessels to the section of the liver that will be cut out. This will “trick” the liver into regenerating the other side of the liver which will remain after the surgery.
After several weeks, the side of the liver that was not blocked off should have grown enough to where there is a suitable amount available following surgery.
Triad Radiology offers Interventional Oncology Interventions at a variety of locations, including hospitals, imaging centers, and clinics. Contact us if you want to learn more or schedule an appointment.
