Our services | Fluoroscopy and interventional radiology
Fluoroscopy and interventional radiology
Digital imaging can also be used as a guide to minimally invasive procedures which use needles, catheters (thin, soft tubes) or tiny instruments.
Use on trauma patients
Life threatening injuries can be treated without the need for major surgery by a team of radiologists and radiographers who provide round the clock cover.
The latest interventional radiology techniques and minimally invasive procedures are performed using image guidance to repair damaged blood vessels or artificially clot arteries and veins that are bleeding.
There are many other procedures which fall under this category to both diagnose a condition or treat a particular problem.
Use the links below to find out more about the main procedures in this area
This is a special test which shows real-time moving images of the inside of the body. It’s useful for showing how things such as blood, food, and urine move through the body. It usually involves you having a special drink or an injection that contains a dye, which shows up on an x-ray.
Fluoroscopy can be used to find out the cause of stomach or bladder problems.
This procedure is for patients with blocked arteries by producing x-ray images of the heart and connecting arteries. It can also measure pressure in the pulmonary artery and monitor heart function.
A thin, flexible tube called a catheter is passed through an artery or vein into the heart and the coronary artery.
Usually, the procedure takes two to three hours to perform. You will need to stay in bed for four to six hours following the procedure.
The special x-ray shows the blood vessels in the brain, the head and the neck to diagnose the exact cause of any abnormalities.
You’ll be unable to eat up to six hours prior to the test and a blood test will be taken prior the x-ray to check your general well-being.
A local anaesthetic will be injected into your groin to numb the area. A very small tube will then be inserted followed by a small catheter which passes through the blood vessels to reach the neck. A dye will then be injected to show up on the x-ray.
The tube will be removed after the x-ray and you’ll be transferred to a recovery room. You’ll then be required to lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your head slightly elevated for around six hours.
Shortly after recovery you might receive the initial results of the angiogram. However a full report will be given at a later date once the x-rays have been reviewed in more detail.
This procedure is used to widen a narrowed or blocked artery.
The procedure is used to provide liquid food directly to the stomach in those who have been unable to eat for a while or alternatively to drain the contents of the stomach.
A narrow plastic tube is inserted through the abdomen into the stomach and patients are required to stay in hospital for the procedure.
You’ll be unable to eat or drink anything four hours prior to the procedure. The procedure is carried out under sedation and local anaesthetic. X-ray or ultrasound equipment is used to find a suitable point to insert the tube.
A hollow needle is inserted, followed by a tube called a catheter which will carry the liquid food. The stomach is then secured to the muscles underneath with stitches and the tube is fixed to the skins surface to prevent it falling out.
New location for medical imaging at The Royal London Hospital
The diagnostic imaging suite has moved to the first and second floor of the main building. Click here to find out how to get to the new department and for new contact details.
