Interventional Radiology Division

Interventional Radiology is a unique discipline employing minimally invasive treatments and imaging guidance as an alternative to invasive surgical procedures. The UPMC IR division is staffed with fellowship-trained, dedicated IR faculty with superb expertise in the clinical evaluation and treatment of a wide variety of clinical conditions. In addition to providing 24/7 inpatient care, the division offers outpatient consultation services throughout the UPMC Health System to maintain continuity of care for our patents before, during, and after therapy. Representative conditions treated and procedures performed by UPMC IR include:

  • Percutaneous and transcatheter therapy and ablation for cancers of bone, kidney, liver, and lung
      • Chemoembolization and Y90 Radioembolization for primary and metastatic liver cancer
      • Percutaneous tumor ablation
  • Treatment of liver disease and portal hypertension
      • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
      • Transcatheter embolization of gastric, esophageal, and ectopic varice
  • Treatment of complications related to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)
      • Transcatheter embolization of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations
  • End-stage renal disease
      • Percutaneous creation of dialysis fistula
      • Placement of dialysis catheters
      • Maintenance of dialysis access fistulas and grafts
  • Nonsurgical treatment of solid organ and vascular trauma
  • Male health and infertility
      • Varicocele embolization
      • Prostatic artery embolization
  • Female health
      • Uterine fibroid embolization
      • Pelvic congestion syndrome
  • Comprehensive treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins
  • Percutaneous feeding tube placement
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Percutaneous management of disorders of the lymphatic system
  • Venous access catheter and port placement and removal
  • Vena cava filter placement and removal
  • Vertebral compression fractures (kyphoplasty & vertebroplasty)

Ablation

Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure intended to destroy tumor cells using energy applied by small applicators inserted through the skin under imaging guidance. There are many different ablation technologies and the appropriate technique is selected by the physician performing the procedure based on tumor type and location. Ablation can be used to treat to both benign (non-cancerous) and cancerous tumors of many distinct areas of the body. Ablation has become a valuable tool in the treatment of kidney, liver, lung, soft tissue, and bone tumors and may be combined with other therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

Endovascular AVF

Endovascular AV fistula creation is a minimally invasive method for creating an AV fistula for dialysis access. EndoAVF allows creation of a fistula via access using a small device advanced into the blood vessels. Fistula creation requires adequate vein size in the arm, so an ultrasound is used to evaluate the blood vessels in the arm before scheduling the procedure. Compared with surgical AV fistula creation, this avoids a surgical scar and arm disfigurement or swelling that may occur with an open surgery.

Ellipsys PS Trial

We are currently enrolling for a multi-center non-randomized prospective observational post-market surveillance study of the Ellipsys Vascular Access System. Eligible candidates will be patients currently on dialysis who are undergoing fistula creation with the Ellipsys Vascular Access System.