
Interventional Radiology Clinic
Many conditions that once required surgery now can be treated by interventional radiology instead. Board-certified interventional radiologists at the UCSF Interventional Radiology Clinic are leaders in this field, using X-rays and other types of images to perform minimally invasive procedures that target a range of health concerns.
Our expertise includes vascular techniques such as placing stents to open clogged arteries and embolization to block abnormal blood vessels. Interventional radiology is also used to manage kidney cancer, liver cancer, uterine fibroids and many other conditions.
Our Diagnostic Services
We offer the following interventional radiology procedures to aid in diagnosis:
- Arthrogram
- Barium enema
- Bone density screening
- Breast MRI
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- CT angiogram
- CT heart screening
- CT-guided interventional spine
- Diagnostic X-ray
- Fetal MRI
- Hysterosalpingogram
- Magnetic resonance angiogram
- MR enterogram
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- MR neurogram
- Mammogram
- Nuclear medicine
- Positron emission tomography/CT
- Prostate exam
- Radiofrequency ablation for osteoid osteoma
- Ultrasound
- Upper gastrointestinal series and barium swallow
- Virtual colonoscopy
Our Treatment Services
With the guidance of X-rays, MRI or another imaging technique, interventional radiologists thread catheters – thin, flexible tubes – through tiny incisions in the skin, and then navigate networks of arteries to deliver treatments to precise sites.
While no treatment is risk-free, interventional radiology treatments offer greater safety, less pain and shorter recovery times compared with surgery. And most procedures can be performed without general anesthesia and with no overnight hospital stay, or only a short stay.
Treatments include:
- Angiography
- Balloon angioplasty
- Biliary drainage and stenting
- Central venous access
- Chemoembolization
- Embolization
- Gastrostomy tube
- Hemodialysis access maintenance
- Infection and abscess drainage
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Stent placement
- Thrombolysis (breaking apart blood clots)
- Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
- Uterine artery embolization
- Uterine fibroid embolization
- Varicocele (enlarged testicle vein) embolization
- Vena cava filter
Images and Reports
A radiologist will review your images and write a report. When it’s finalized, the report will be available in MyChart, UCSF's secure online patient portal. You can also obtain copies of your medical images and reports by requesting them from the UCSF Imaging Library.
If you have questions about your results, please contact your referring doctor.
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Clinical trials
Pembrolizumab With Liver-Directed or Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy for Neuroendocrine T...
The point estimate and 95% confidence interval of overall response rate will be obtained for each of the three liver-directed therapy groups (cryoablation, transarterial embolization(TAE) , radioembolization (RE)) separately. The ...
Recruiting
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Plan your visit
What to Bring
- Photo I.D.
- Health insurance card
- Insurance authorization, if required
- Doctor's referral, if required
- Recent test results related to your condition
- List of your medications, including dosages, plus any you're allergic to
- List of questions you may have
- Device or paper for taking notes

International Services
If you live outside the United States and are coming to UCSF for medical treatment, our patient liaisons can help coordinate all aspects of your visit.
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Interpreting Services
UCSF offers interpreters in various languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), as well as services for deaf, hard-of-hearing and visually impaired patients.

Hospital Stays
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Our research initiatives
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UCSF Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research
The UCSF Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging is home to many state-of-the-art research labs, all working to use imaging technologies to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of disease.