Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology is a sub-speciality of radiology that utilises minimally invasive image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat diseases in nearly every organ system. The concept behind interventional radiology is to diagnose and treat patients using the least invasive techniques currently available to minimise risk to the patient and improve health outcomes.
Using X-rays, CT, ultrasound, MRI and other imaging modalities, interventional radiologists obtain images used to direct interventional instruments throughout the body. These procedures are usually performed using needles and narrow tubes called catheters, rather than making large incisions into the body like traditional surgery.
Many conditions that once required surgery can now be treated non-surgically by interventional radiology. By minimising the physical trauma to the patient, peripheral interventions can reduce infection rates and recovery time and shorten hospital stays.
Source: Wikipedia