PGIMER to start DM course in interventional radiology
Interventional radiology, an important subspecialty of radiology, allows minimally invasive procedures to be done quickly under minimal anesthesia. It’s also relatively painless
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research is starting a three-year doctorate of medicine (DM) course, the first of its kind in north India, in interventional radiology from July 1
“This is the first such course being started in north India. The only other hospital offering an advanced three-year DM course is the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai,” said prof MS Sandhu, head, department of radiodiagnosis.
Interventional radiology, an important subspecialty of radiology, allows minimally invasive procedures to be done quickly under minimal anesthesia. It’s relatively painless and can be done on an out-patient basis, prof Sandhu added.
The procedures are performed through medical imaging guidance, such as X-ray fluoroscopy, computed tomography (sectioning through use of penetrative wave), magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound.
The department has run an interventional radiology outpatient clinic for the last two years, something not done by any government hospital in the country.
Such procedures are used for treatment of cancer patients who do not have the option of surgery due to technical factors or for comorbidities such as heart disease or advanced liver disease.
Other important procedures that can be done with interventional radiology are blocking leaking blood vessels, treating aneurysms of blood vessels, opening up narrowed blood vessels, obtaining abnormal tissue for cytological or histopathological examination, drainage of infected collections and abscesses, drainage and stenting of obstructed systems in the biliary tree and urinary tract.
