The field of veterinary medicine is constantly evolving and each advancement brings about new, more efficient ways of treating animals and their ailments. 

One area that continues to expand is interventional radiology (IR). Interventional radiology focuses on using minimally invasive procedures to treat diseases throughout the body. These procedures are guided by the use of medical imaging, which includes endoscopy and fluoroscopy. 

Procedures performed regularly by an interventional radiology service include placement of stents into airways, the urinary and gastrointestinal tract, and blood vessels to bypass obstructions, which can include stones, tumors, or scar tissue. The Interventional Radiology service also provides less invasive options to traditional surgical procedures, including bladder stone removal and correction of ectopic ureters. Most of these procedures are performed either through a small incision in the skin or through a natural orifice, such as the urethral or mouth. 

Interventional radiology procedures aren’t limited to one organ system, explains Tracy Hill, DVM, DACVIM, PhD, DECVIM-CA, a clinical associate professor who specializes in small animal internal medicine and performs interventional radiology procedures at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Center. 

“In terms of different types of diseases we treat, it can be almost anywhere in the body,” Hill says. “IR procedures can be applied to certain respiratory diseases, urinary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and liver and vascular diseases in both dogs and cats.”

At the College of Veterinary Medicine, Interventional Radiology is composed of a team of specialists, including primarily Hill, Chris Stauthammer, DVM, DACVIM, an associate professor of cardiology, and Jody P. Lulich, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, director of the Minnesota Urolith Center, to treat a variety of diseases and conditions. There are dedicated service technicians who have additional training and expertise to provide support to the IR team.

The minimally invasive nature of IR offers several potential advantages over traditional surgery, including decreased pain and fewer complications, faster recovery time, shorter anesthesia time, and reduced hospital stay times. 

“We work with clients and referring veterinarians to determine which minimally invasive procedure is appropriate for each pet, so that patient care is personalized and optimized,” Hill says.

Interventional radiology also opens up avenues of treatment for conditions once deemed to be untreatable by traditional surgery or other methods. For example, before the advent of IR, a tumor obstructing a dog’s urethra likely would be considered terminal and the dog would most likely be euthanized. Through the use of IR, a stent can be placed in the urinary tract to allow urine to exit the body once more. 

The Veterinary Medical Center offers a wide breadth of minimally invasive procedures through the IR service, in comparison to other veterinary care centers in the Midwest. As an emerging field, Hill says she expects to see it continue to grow in prominence as clients and veterinarians become familiar with the potential benefits of these procedures. 

“It is my hope that as general practice veterinarians and the public become more aware of these minimally invasive options, we will be able to help more pets and clients have an excellent outcome with a minimum amount of discomfort and pain,” Hill says.

While interventional radiology might be able to provide alternative options to surgery for some diseases and conditions, pet owners should discuss treatment options with their veterinarian to ensure it is the best option for their pet.