Interventional Radiology in Pasadena, TX

How Are Image-Guided Procedures Different From Surgery?

Many patients are familiar with the concept of “keyhole” or laparoscopic surgery, but interventional radiology procedures go a step further in minimizing invasiveness. Here is how IR compares to both open and keyhole surgery:

• Smaller access point: IR procedures typically use a single access point of 4mm or smaller — often just a needle puncture — compared to the centimeter-scale incisions used even in minimally invasive keyhole surgery.
• No general anesthesia in most cases: The majority of IR procedures are performed under local anesthesia and conscious sedation, reducing the risks associated with general anesthesia.
• Less tissue damage: Because instruments are guided through blood vessels or body cavities under real-time imaging rather than through tissue, surrounding healthy structures are largely undisturbed.
• Faster recovery: Patients undergoing IR procedures experience significantly shorter recovery times — often returning home the same day and resuming normal activities within days rather than weeks.
• Lower risk of complications: Reduced tissue trauma translates to lower rates of infection, bleeding, and postoperative pain compared to open or laparoscopic surgery.

At Minimally Invasive Specialists of Texas, our interventional radiologists apply these advantages across a broad spectrum of conditions, from varicose vein treatment and uterine fibroid embolization to image-guided biopsies and dialysis access management. Contact us at (832) 583-2246 to learn which IR procedures may be right for you in Pasadena, TX .

What Is an Angiogram or Venogram?

An angiogram is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses X-rays and contrast dye to visualize the inside of blood vessels in real time. A venogram performs the same function but focuses specifically on veins rather than arteries. These studies are among the most important tools in the interventional radiologist’s arsenal, providing a precise roadmap of the vascular system before and during treatment.

During the procedure, a small plastic sheath is inserted into an artery or vein — typically through a puncture no larger than a few millimeters — and specialized catheters are guided through it to the target blood vessel. A contrast dye is then injected, making the vessels visible on fluoroscopic (live X-ray) imaging. Angiograms and venograms allow our interventional radiologists to:

• Identify narrowed, blocked, or diseased arteries or veins
• Locate sources of internal bleeding
• Assess blood supply to tumors prior to embolization or ablation
• Evaluate dialysis access function through a fistulogram
• Guide catheters and devices precisely to the treatment site

In many cases, a diagnostic angiogram and a therapeutic procedure — such as angioplasty, stenting, or embolization — are performed in the same session, minimizing the number of procedures a patient requires.

What Is Embolization?

Embolization is a therapeutic technique in which an interventional radiologist injects specialized materials through a catheter to deliberately block blood flow to a targeted vessel or group of vessels. It is used to treat a wide variety of conditions by cutting off blood supply to abnormal tissue, controlling bleeding, or reducing the size of a lesion.

The procedure begins with a diagnostic angiogram to identify and map the target vessels. Embolic materials are then delivered precisely through the catheter under continuous imaging guidance. The choice of embolic agent depends on the specific clinical goal and may include:

• Microparticles: Tiny spherical beads that permanently block small vessels; commonly used in uterine fibroid embolization, prostate artery embolization, and liver cancer treatment.
• Coils: Small metallic devices that promote clotting and permanent vessel occlusion; used for aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and bleeding vessels.
• Gelfoam: A temporary embolic agent made from absorbable gelatin that is used when only short-term vessel occlusion is needed, such as before surgery to reduce bleeding.
• Liquid embolics: Agents that flow into and conform to the shape of the target vessel before solidifying; used for complex vascular abnormalities.

Embolization is used across many of our services at Minimally Invasive Specialists of Texas, including treatment of kidney cancer, knee pain embolization, and pelvic congestion syndrome.

How Does Balloon Angioplasty Work?

Balloon angioplasty — also called percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) — is a technique used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that are restricting blood flow. It is one of the most widely performed interventional radiology procedures and is used to treat conditions such as peripheral arterial disease and stenosis of dialysis access sites.

During the procedure, a thin catheter with a small, uninflated balloon at its tip is guided through the vascular system under fluoroscopic imaging to the site of narrowing (stenosis). Once the balloon is positioned precisely within the narrowed segment, it is inflated to high pressure — compressing the plaque or scar tissue against the vessel wall and stretching the vessel open to restore adequate blood flow. The balloon is then deflated and removed, leaving an improved channel for blood to pass through. Balloon catheters are engineered to maintain specific shapes and withstand the high pressures required to dilate even heavily calcified vessels.

What Are Stents?

Stents are small, expandable mesh tubes — most commonly made from stainless steel, nitinol, or specialized metal alloys — that are placed inside narrowed or weakened vessels or ducts to hold them open and maintain patency over time. They are used when balloon angioplasty alone is insufficient to keep a vessel open, or when there is a risk of the vessel collapsing or re-narrowing after dilation.

Stents are delivered through a catheter to the target site in a compressed state and then expanded — either by balloon inflation or by self-expansion — to conform to the inner wall of the vessel. Once deployed, they act as a permanent internal scaffold. Some stents are coated with special materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or drug-eluting compounds, to seal off bleeding points, prevent tissue ingrowth, or reduce the risk of re-stenosis. In most cases, once placed, stents are not removable. Our team will discuss whether stenting is appropriate for your condition during your consultation at Minimally Invasive Specialists of Texas.

What Equipment and Techniques Are Used in IR Procedures?

Interventional radiology procedures rely on a precise, coordinated system of specialized equipment designed to navigate the vascular and non-vascular anatomy of the body safely and effectively. Key components include:

• Introducer sheath: A thin plastic tube inserted into a major vessel — most commonly the femoral artery in the groin, the radial artery in the wrist, or a vein in the neck — through a small skin puncture. The sheath creates a stable entry point through which all other instruments are introduced and exchanged without repeated vessel punctures.
• Guidewires: Flexible, thin wires advanced through the sheath and navigated through the vascular system under fluoroscopic guidance. They come in a variety of stiffnesses, tip shapes, and coatings to facilitate navigation through straight vessels, tight curves, and tortuous anatomy.
• Catheters: Hollow, flexible tubes advanced over guidewires to deliver contrast, embolic agents, medications, or devices directly to the target site. Catheters are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and tip configurations, allowing precise navigation to virtually any vessel in the body.
• Imaging systems: Fluoroscopy (live X-ray), ultrasound, CT, and cone-beam CT are used in real time throughout procedures to guide instrument placement, confirm positioning, and assess treatment results.
• Closure devices: After a procedure, the small access site in the artery or vein is closed using manual compression, a closure device, or a simple bandage, depending on the vessel size and location.

To learn more about the full range of minimally invasive procedures available at Minimally Invasive Specialists of Texas in Pasadena, TX , explore our services page or call us at (832) 583-2246 to speak with our team directly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interventional Radiology