Specialized medical services

Our center offers minimally invasive non-surgical procedures known as interventional radiology (IVR). A wide variety of diseases are examined or treated using angiographic catheters or needles under radiological image guidance by angiography, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT). Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia in the Clinic of Radiology. Procedures requiring general anesthesia and those for trauma or acute critical care are occasionally performed in the operation rooms and emergency rooms. As on-call responsibility, we respond to requests for emergency procedures at night and on holidays. We also have outpatient clinic, providing patient examinations and consultation on indicated treatments. We have organized a dedicated team of physicians, radiology technologists and nurses to provide the latest interventional techniques as below:

Vascular interventions:

Tumor embolization

Chemoembolization of liver cancers
Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE)
Renal tumors, head and neck tumors, bone and soft tissue tumors

Embolization for vascular lesions

Visceral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), aortic aneurysm endoleaks, gastrointestinal varices, varicoceles

Angioplasty

Peripheral arterial diseases, renovascular hypertension, hemodialysis shunt failure, vascular stenosis after liver transplantation

Venous interventions

Sclerotherapy of venous malformations, IVC-filter placement, central venous catheter/port placement, adrenal venous sampling

Hemostasis

Traumatic and iatrogenic bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, hemoptysis, postpartum hemorrhage, epistaxis

Non-vascular interventions:

CT-guided tumor biopsy

CT-guided tumor ablation

Radiofrequency ablation for liver cancer, cryoablation for renal cancer

Biliary drainage and stenting

Abscess and cyst drainage

etc.

Features

IVR procedures, as they are minimally invasive, have become an essential option in the diagnostic and treatment process of current clinical practice. Therefore, we cooperate with the relevant departments and facilities in various fields as follows in a multi-disciplinary manner: oncology, vascular medicine, gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, trauma and acute critical care, pediatric care, maternal care, organ transplantation, infection control, risk management, and so on. We are also working to improve radiation safety and share information to minimize particular complication risks such as internal bleeding, infection, embolism related to IVR procedures.

Patient referrals and consultations

For in-house physicians:

Our staff responds to phone consultation on the dedicated PHS. We may ask you to refer the patient to our outpatient clinic, depending on the procedure.

For medical facilities in the community:

To refer a patient to our outpatient clinic, the appointment service is available via the Patient Support Center. Depending on the nature of the referral, consultation at another clinical section may be recommended first. Since diagnostic imaging is essential for the decision to use IVR please ask the patient to bring film or CD-R from your facility.

Link: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

http://www.hosp.med.osaka-u.ac.jp/departments/radiodiagnosis.html