Our radiologists have been performing Interventional Radiological Procedures (IRPs) in various hospital and institutional settings for decades. Pushing the trend in which the full continuum of imaging services are available in a comfortable, convenient and accessible outpatient setting, in 2008 we began offering a comprehensive range of IRPs in a brand new, beautifully decorated 2,000 square foot facility at our Salem location.

Among the IRP services offered at our Salem location are:

• Abdominal paracentesis
• CT-guided biopsies (liver, lung, kidney, bone, muscle)
• CT-guided arthrograms (knee, hip, shoulder)
• CT-guided steroid injections (hip, shoulder)
• Cyst aspirations and abscess drainages
• MRI-guided biopsies (performed at Merrimack Valley MRI)
• PICC line insertion and removal
• Stereotactic-guided breast biopsy
• Thoracentesis
• Thyroid biopsies and aspirations
• Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy
• Vena-Cava Filter Placement

While a significant subset of radiologists, including ours, are quite skilled at IRPs, Dr. Robert Hannon and Dr. James Johnston hold Certificates of Advanced Qualifications (CAQs) in Interventional Radiology from the American College of Radiology. This CAQ designation is awarded only after an extremely rigorous course of study, training and testing and is held by only a small percentage of radiologists

The Basics   Interventional radiology procedures typically involve the use of an imaging "modality" (e.g., ultrasound, fluoroscopy, CT, MRI) to guide the internal placement of a medical device (e.g, needle, catheter) to assist in the diagnosis (e.g., a biopsy) or treatment (e.g., a drainage) of a particular health problem. Breast biopsies (which test suspicious masses for cancer) and PICC line placements (which typically are used to provide easy IV access for patients on mid- to longer-term antibiotics) are among the most common IRP procedures performed. All of our IRPs are designed to minimize the level of invasiveness and maximize safety. The majority of these procedures have evolved over time as an alternative to more invasive surgery.

Patient Preparation   Please avoid eating or drinking for 4 to 8 hours prior to your IRP exam. Given the wide range of exams listed above, our staff will inform you of any other steps you should take prior to your exam at the time your appointment is scheduled but typically no other physical preparation is required.

As always, please bring copies of any prior exams or related studies from other locations (images and reports) as these play a critical role in the overall success of your exam. And, please remember to bring a copy of your insurance card with you.

What Can I Expect?   IRPs do involve a needle insertion or a small incision (e.g., for catheter placement) so our clinical team will usually administer a local anesthetic for pain management. These exams are typically performed in tandem by both a Radiology Practitioner Assistant (RPA) and a radiologist. When you arrive, you will be escorted into our new, beautifully-appointed IRP suite. The RPA or radiologist will explain exactly how the procedure will work and what you should do following the procedure. Rest and OTC pain management is usually all that is required.

Length of Exam   IRP exams can range from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the exam. When scheduling your appointment, please feel free to ask to speak to one of our technologists or Radiology Practitioner Assistants to get a better idea of the time required for your particular procedure.

Obtaining the Results   You should always consult with your doctor to obtain the results of your exam. IRPs often involve more direct consultative communication between your doctor and our radiologist than many other radiological exams. This is because there is generally a very specific problem or question your doctor is seeking to address promptly and the results in turn are typically desired in a more timely fashion than some other exams. The nature and timing of the communication (and the radiologist's final transcribed report) will vary depending on the exam. For certain diagnostic exams (e.g., a biopsy), a specimen obtained as part of the IRP will be "sent out" and analyzed by a qualified lab. The results of the lab work will be shared with your doctor as well as the radiologist and if appropriate, incorporated into a final report by the radiologist.