Why Consider Radiology?
Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive procedure for people who are unable to undergo surgery. A surgical procedure can be a stressful situation, especially for people with delicate hearts, smokers, overweight individuals, the critically ill, those with anaesthetic allergies, low income and uninsured patients and the elderly. This radiological method uses digital technology to make repairs in the body, often without incisions. Radiologist health experts typically insert a small, flexible endoscopic tube through a catheter placed in the patient's vein or artery to see inside the body, and then the work is done outside of the body. Patients are generally sedated, but conscious.
Radiological methods can be used within three hours of a person's stroke symptoms. Strokes are typically caused by blood clots to the brain, so the standard procedure dissolves blood clots through an intravenously injected tissue plasminogen activator. If it has been more than three hours, but less than six, then an intra-arterial thrombolysis treatment may be performed, which places the clot-busting drug right at the site and will mechanically break up the clot. With this amazing minimally invasive procedure, most stroke patients can regain full functionality and return to every day life. Health experts say the main challenge with stroke radiology is having enough stroke teams ready to handle patients within the three-hour timeframe.
Radiology is commonly used to plug damaged blood vessels. The radiologist will place infinitesimal metal coils, plastic plugs, or gelatin sponges into the open blood vessel or aneurysm before serious rupturing occurs. If patients are already bleeding seriously, then an embolization procedure may save their lives. Tumors can also be treated through embolization, where the blood supply to the tumor is cut off, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients, which effectively shrinks the tumor enough for it to be surgically remove. A third type of embolization shrinks uterine fibroid tumors for 85-90% of patients. While premature menopause and infections are risks for 1-2% of women undergoing the procedure, the vast number of patients experience 7-10 days of discomfort, yet fully recover within 4-6 weeks, health experts say.
So what does the future of radiology hold? Since this relatively new and exciting breakthrough was first implemented, there have been great strides to take advantage of digital technology in the healing process. For example, improved 3-D resonance of the human body is helping radiologists make more precise moves. Surgeons can now see the smallest crevices of the human body with improved magnetic resonance imaging. Nanotechnology allows cameras and artificial devices to get into hard-to-reach places where they can work their magic. Soon, more durable materials will be implemented to strengthen arteries. Health experts predict this field will become more and more reliable, allowing minimal discomfort and extraordinary results.
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Today's Tip On Autoimmune Diseases
In health class you are taught about how the body has its own defense mechanism called the immune system. In a healthy body the immune system works to keep out infection and keep the body from developing colds, flues, and other diseases. It works around the clock to protect the body from outside intruders. But what happens when the immune system does not work as it should? It stops protecting the body and instead begins to attack it.
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