Interventional Radiology
Leaders in Interventional Radiology
The Stanford Health Care Interventional Radiology (IR) program offers easy access to innovative care personalized to your needs.
We deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care, using state-of-the-art imaging technology and miniaturized instruments for minimally invasive, targeted treatments. Our procedures offer a simple recovery and patients are often discharged home the same day.
Whether you are a patient or a referring physician, our IR team looks forward to serving you.
What We Offer You for Interventional Radiology
- Specialized expertise from one of the nation’s leading programs for Interventional Radiology treatment of cancer, venous disease, women’s health conditions, peripheral arterial disease, vascular abnormalities, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and more. Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced treatment options that may offer less risk, less pain, and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Go to Treatments
- Clinical trial opportunities exploring new medial approaches, devices, drugs, or other treatments to improve the care of our patients. Go to Clinical Trials
- Team approach, with experienced, renowned doctors, and dedicated nurse practitioners helping you make informed choices. Go to Your Care Team
- Full support from initial consultation through diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. Go to Support Services
- Ease of access, with convenient clinics in Palo Alto, San Jose, and Pleasanton. Go to Accessing Care
Our Interventional Radiology specialists treat a wide range of conditions, including:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Stanford Health Care offers one of only a few prostatic artery embolization (PAE) programs in the US. PAE is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery to treat symptoms of BPH, also known as an enlarged prostate. BPH causes lower urinary tract symptoms including slow urinary flow, difficulty urinating, incomplete urination requiring catheterization, and frequent urination at night. During the procedure, physicians enter a blood vessel through a pinhole in the wrist or groin, and the blood vessels to the prostate are blocked. This decreases prostate size and urinary symptoms improve. The procedure is successful with few reported complications and a simple outpatient recovery.
Kidney (renal) cancer
A type of cancer that begins in the kidneys, located on the left and right of the backbone.
Liver cancer
A type of cancer that starts in the cells of the liver. Viral hepatitis and liver damage from alcohol or fatty liver are risk factors for liver cancer.
Lung cancer
Cancer that usually starts in the lining of lungs, but can also begin in other areas of the respiratory system.
Chronic liver disease
Diseases such as cirrhosis and fibrosis are marked by the gradual destruction of liver tissue over time.
Peripheral vascular disease/peripheral arterial disease
This slow and progressive circulation disorder may involve disease in the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels.
Renovascular (renal) hypertension
Elevated blood pressure results from kidney disease, caused by narrowing in the arteries that deliver blood to the kidney.
Arteriovenous malformations
An abnormal set of connections between arteries and veins which may result in pain, swelling, a mass that disrupts normal development, or the heart overworking to circulate blood.
Congenital vascular malformations
Congenital vascular malformations (CVMs) occur in about 1% of all births and can vary from simple, flat birthmarks to complex, 3-dimensional structures deep within the body.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)
This genetic disorder leads to abnormal blood vessel formation in the skin, mucous membranes, and often in organs, such as the lungs, liver, and brain.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
This may occur when a blood clot develops in a vein deep in the body.
Pulmonary embolism
A blood clot that develops in a blood vessel elsewhere in the body (most commonly from the leg), travels to an artery in the lung, and forms blockage of the artery.
Varicocele
A varicose vein of the testicle and scrotum that may cause pain, testicular atrophy (shrinkage) or fertility problems.
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen blood vessels that appear purple or red and twisted, usually on the legs.
Fibroids
Fibroids are common benign tumors present in 70% of women. Fibroids cause symptoms in 25% of reproductive age women.
Infertility
We treat women who are suffering from infertility due to fallopian tube blockages. Fallopian tube recanalization is a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure which removes fallopian tube blockages.
Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS)
PCS occurs when internal varicose veins develop around the ovaries, similar to varicose veins that occur in the legs. The valves in the veins no longer function normally, blood backs up, and the veins become engorged or "congested," which can be very painful.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Interventional Radiologists use x-rays, ultrasound, and other technology to non-surgically guide treatment to the source of the condition.
- Interventional Radiologists helped pioneer minimally invasive modern medicine by inventing the angioplasty procedure and the stent.
Treatments
Today, with minimally invasive techniques, Interventional Radiologists can treat many conditions that once required surgery. Interventional Radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain, and less recovery time compared to open surgery.
Biopsy
A sample of cells or tissue is removed via a hollow needle to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease.
Also see needle biopsy.
Chemoembolization
In liver cancer, when a tumor is not responsive to treatment by surgery or by radiofrequency ablation (RFA), chemotherapy drugs may be injected directly into the tumor.
Radioembolization
Injection of radioactive microspheres can treat both primary and metastatic tumors, mostly applied in the liver.
Tumor ablation therapies
Tumor ablation therapies include radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryoablation, and MR-guided focused ultrasound ablation to burn or freeze tumors.
Acute DVT treatment
The goal in the treatment of acute (new) DVT is to remove or dissolve the blood clot. Once the clot is removed, the swelling and pain typically go away.
Chronic DVT treatments
Older clots and scars may remain from prior DVT. We have a variety of techniques to re-open veins that have been blocked long-term.
Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Clinic
We are pioneering new endovascular methods to retrieve IVC filters, regardless of implantation length, that have become embedded within the IVC.
Pulmonary embolism treatments
People with DVT can reduce their chances of developing a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Patients with pulmonary embolism also can be treated to reduce the risk of complications.
Stanford Health Care is one of a few institutions in the US that offers Genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for managing pain caused by knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis often triggers knee pain and inflammation, leading to difficulties in mobility and daily distress. During the Genicular artery embolization procedure, physicians enter a blood vessel via a tiny opening in the groin, and the genicular arteries feeding the knee inflammation are blocked. This reduces knee inflammation and pain, enhancing the patient's quality of life. The success rate of this procedure is high with few reported complications. Patients are discharged home for recovery the same day of the procedure.
Angioplasty
An angioplasty, otherwise known as a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), is a nonsurgical procedure used to open blocked arteries caused by PAD. An angioplasty is performed to restore arterial blood flow to the tissue without the need for open surgery. During an angioplasty, a special catheter (long hollow tube) is inserted into the artery to be treated, and a balloon at the catheter tip is inflated to displace the obstructing tissue. A stent may be implanted to prop the artery open.
Aortic and atrial endovascular repair
Aneurysms or dissections of the aorta or arteries can be repaired without open surgery.
Renal hypertension treatments
If high blood pressure is caused by blockage of blood flow to the kidneys, interventional radiologists can perform angioplasty and, if needed, stenting to improve blood flow.
Prostatic artery embolization
Our PAE program is one of only a few in the US. PAE is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery to treat symptoms of BPH, also known as an enlarged prostate. BPH causes lower urinary tract symptoms including slow urinary flow, difficulty urinating, incomplete urination requiring catheterization, and frequent urination at night. During the procedure, physicians enter a blood vessel through a pinhole in the wrist or groin, and the blood vessels to the prostate are blocked. This decreases prostate size and urinary symptoms improve. The procedure is successful with few reported complications and a simple outpatient recovery.
Gastrostomy (feeding) tube
A tube is placed the stomach for a variety of conditions in which a patient is unable to take sufficient food by mouth for a prolonged period of time. Variations allow feeding directly into the intestines.
Hemodialysis
Interventional radiologists work closely with patients, their nephrologists, and their vascular surgeons to help maintain vascular access in hemodialysis patients.
Long-term venous access catheter
A central venous access catheter is a tube that is inserted beneath your skin so there is a simple, pain-free way for doctors or nurses to draw your blood or give you medication or nutrients. The types of catheters inserted include PICC lines, ports, Hickman catheters, and dialysis catheters.
Sclerotherapy
By injecting unsightly veins with special solutions, we can make them much less noticeable, and sometimes they can disappear altogether.
Treatment for chronic insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency can be limb-threatening, requiring treatment to restore blood flow in the leg veins.
Treatment for varicose veins
Varicose veins can be serious medical issues and may require both surgical and nonsurgical approaches.
Varicocele treatment
Varicose veins in the male genitalia can be treated without surgery on an outpatient basis.
Vascular malformation treatments
Vascular malformations can be treated by embolization (blocking a blood vessel) or sclerotherapy (injection of a chemical into a vein to harden it).
Blockages in the fallopian tubes, a cause of infertility, can be treated with a nonsurgical procedure known as fallopian tube recanalization (FTR).
Fibroid Center
We offer comprehensive treatment options for women with symptoms due to uterine fibroids.
Pelvic congestion treatments
Pain from pelvic congestion syndrome can be treated without surgery.
UFE (uterine fibroid embolization)
The blood supply of uterine fibroids is cut off to get them to shrink.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
Your Care Team
In a comfortable, welcoming setting, our team provides complete care customized to your specific condition and needs.
Your Doctors and Providers
Interventional Radiologist
These doctors have advanced training in using imaging technology – such as x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scanning – to help guide minimally invasive diagnostic and treatment procedures.
View All {0} Interventional RadiologistsPhysician Assistant
Physician assistants (PAs) are health professionals who practice medicine under a doctor's supervision in medical and surgical settings. They can perform routine exams, order lab work and X-rays, prescribe medicines, and counsel people about their health.
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Support Services
We offer a vast array of support services to help you to feel your best throughout your care, from diagnosis through treatment and recovery.
Helpful Videos
Video Library
Stanford Interventional Radiology has developed videos to provide patients with information about their disease state and treatment options here at Stanford. Please watch the appropriate video for your upcoming visit to Interventional Radiology before your appointment. As you are viewing the video, write down any questions you think of and we look forward to discussing them and the procedure in further detail at your visit.
Patient education videos:
Patient education iTunes videos (must have iTunes installed):
We welcome you and make accessing care from the Stanford Health Care Interventional Radiology program easy and convenient.