Interventional radiology

What is interventional radiology?

Interventional radiology is a rapidly evolving area of medicine where innovative new procedures are becoming an increasingly important part of cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. Our team of highly skilled and experienced interventional radiologists provide the latest minimally invasive image-guided diagnostics and treatments.

Interventional radiologists use a number of different techniques to treat cancer including embolisation (cutting off the blood supply to tumours and directly targeting them with chemotherapy or radioactivity), ablation (freezing or burning a tumour) and irreversible electroporation (IRE).

Innovative treatments available

Chemoembolisation or TACE

Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolisation (TACE) is a type of chemotherapy treatment used to treat tumours in the liver. During this procedure a catheter (thin tube) is inserted into your femoral artery (the main blood vessel in your groin). This tube is passed along the artery to the hepatic artery (the main blood vessel that carries blood to the liver).

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NanoKnife

NanoKnife treatment is an innovative type of interventional radiology known as irreversible electroporation (IRE). NanoKnife uses fine needles and high-voltage electrical currents to target cancers that are inoperable. Due to its precision it is particularly effective in treating tumours in difficult to reach positions.

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Chemosaturation

Chemosaturation therapy is a treatment for tumours in the liver. This may be primary liver cancer (where cancer starts in the liver) or metastatic liver tumours (secondary cancer that has spread to the liver). This innovative treatment isolates the liver so that high-dose chemotherapy can directly target the tumour, allowing a higher dose of the drug to be administered. This also means you are likely to experience less side effects from the treatment.

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Radio Frequency Ablation

Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) is a type of treatment used to heat and destroy cancer cells through electrical energy. During RFA an electrode (probe) is used to target cancer cells. The probe produces an electrical current that heats cancer cells to high temperatures and destroys them. This procedure is particularly effective in treating some liver, lung and kidney tumours that are difficult to reach or cannot be treated with conventional surgery.

Our locations

You can have interventional radiology procedures at a number of our facilities.

HCA UK at University College Hospital

15th Floor, University College Hospital

235 Euston Road

London NW1 2BU

Call 020 3447 1700
London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street

London

SE1 2PR

Appointments & Enquiries 020 7234 2009
Imaging Appointments 020 7234 2773
The Christie Private Care

Wilmslow Road

Manchester M20 4BX

General enquiries 0161 918 7296
Existing patients 0161 918 7538
Insurance & Pricing 0161 446 3480
The Harley Street Clinic

35 Weymouth Street

London W1G 8BJ

Appointments 020 7935 7700
General enquiries 020 7034 8181
Post COVID Recovery service 020 7034 6602
The Portland Hospital

205 - 209 Great Portland Street

London

W1W 5AH

Children's enquiries 020 7390 8020
Maternity enquiries 020 7390 6068
Gynaecology enquiries 020 7390 6200
The Wellington Hospital

Wellington Place

London NW8 9LE

Appointments 020 7483 5148
General enquiries 020 7586 5959
Post COVID Recovery service 020 7483 5348
The Princess Grace Hospital

42-52 Nottingham Place

London W1U 5NY

Appointments 020 7908 8001
General enquiries 020 7486 1234