GETTING A CLOSER LOOK

Reviewing the Basics

When analyzing the general vascular procedures and options that Mid-Michigan Radiology Associates is able to offer their patients, it’s important to understand how each of these options is performed, allowing you to make the best decision when it comes to your vascular health.

ANGIOGRAPHY

• In order to get a full view of the affected area in question, however, your doctor may first want to perform an angiography to see if any procedure is necessary.
• In this process, a catheter is inserted to allow access to the blood vessels.
• Using an X-ray contrast agent, the blockage can be seen, analyzed, and diagnosed, allowing for further options to be explored.

ANGIOPLASTY

• This procedure allows for patients suffering from plaque build-up to be given renewed circulation, freeing them from any blockage in their arteries.
• A balloon catheter is placed into the affected artery or vein, guided with x-ray supervision.
• The balloon is then inflated several times, pushing the plaque against the arterial walls, and allowing blood to flow through the artery once again.

IVUS

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a medical imaging procedure that uses a specially designed catheter that allows physicians to acquire images of diseased vessels from inside the artery with the help of ultrasound.

This procedure provides:

• Detailed and accurate measurements of lumen and vessel size
• Plaque area and volume
• Location of key anatomical landmarks

IVUS proves particularly beneficial in the accurate diagnoses of atherosclerosis, as it visualizes plaque that cannot be seen by traditional angiography.

VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENTS

In the case of varicose veins, there are multiple surgical options that can be considered for this condition:

• Sclerotherapy - Injections are made to small and medium-sized varicose veins, closing the affected veins, which results in them fading over a couple of weeks to months.
• Laser-based procedures - This technology uses laser light to close off varicose veins. VenaCure falls into this category.

COMMON VASCULAR ISSUES

• Aneurysms - In many cases, when blood vessels abnormally bulge and balloon out, they are able to be treated by interventional radiologists without surgery. Through this option, a catheter is inserted into the blood vessel, and a stent is placed across the aneurysm.

• Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM) - These blood vessel abnormalities, if left untreated, have the potential to cause life-threatening bleeding. However, these can be treated by interventional radiologists without surgery through catheter-based intervention.

• Blood Clots - More specifically, blood clots that form within the deep vein systems of the lower legs, have the potential to travel to other parts of the body, including the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or heart, if left untreated. In order to put an end to symptoms, such as swelling and leg pain, interventional radiologists attempt to dissolve the clot in thrombolytic therapy, putting a stop to the permanent damage clots can cause.

• High blood Pressure - Some patients who experience this condition, also known as hypertension, can be treated through angioplasty, eliminating this condition, causing the narrowing of arteries.

• Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) - Do you get leg cramps, claudication, leg pain related to activity or non-healing ulcers? Interventional Radiologists can help you by diagnosing the cause of the problems and help in relieving the symptoms by healing the problems with minimally invasive catheter based procedures.
• Pelvic Congestion - Also known as pelvic vein incompetence, this chronic medical condition afflicts women and is caused by varicose veins in the lower abdomen. The condition causes chronic pain that often manifests as a constant, dull ache. The condition can be aggravated by standing. Diagnosis can be made using ultrasound or laparoscopy testing. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of the condition and can include pain medication using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, suppression of ovarian function, or noninvasive surgical techniques such as embolization.