In addition to diagnostic exams, Mass General Imaging uses real-time visualization techniques to perform minimally invasive treatments for specific conditions including back pain, uterine fibroid tumors, varicose veins, narrowing or blockage of blood vessels, and certain cancers.
Video
Department of Radiology Chairman Emeritus James H. Thrall, MD, explains how the ability to see deep inside the body has driven the development of minimally invasive methods of treatment—a trend in which Mass General Imaging has played a key role.
The importance of imaging technology extends well beyond diagnosis and into treatment. Real-time imaging techniques allow specialty-trained clinicians to perform minimally invasive procedures for a number of different conditions. These interventional procedures often require smaller incisions, carry fewer risks of complication, and take less recovery time than traditional surgery
Specialty expertise
The interventional specialists who perform procedures at Mass General Imaging are specialists in the area of the body and the condition under treatment, as well as the procedure itself. In addition to the training that all radiologists receive, these specialists have additional education, plus extensive real-world experience. In many cases, our doctors helped to pioneer the interventional treatments that we offer. Learn more about our specialty expertise.
Coordinated care
Our teams of interventional specialists and nurse practitioners coordinate a patient's complete care—from imaging evaluation to post-procedure followup—maintaining a high level of communication with the patient and the referring physician throughout the process. In addition, Mass General Imaging works in close coordination with experts from across Mass General when necessary.
Available procedures
Blood vessels
- Angioplasty and stenting treats narrowing and blockage of arteries and veins
- Coil occlusion treats cerebral aneurysm (bulging of an artery in the head)
- Endovenous thermal ablation (EVTA) treats varicose veins
Back pain
- Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty treat back pain caused by vertebral fractures
- Nucleoplasty (percutaneous discectomy) treats back pain caused by herniated discs
- Spine injection treats pain in the neck, back, and other areas
Cancers
- RFA (radiofrequency ablation) treats some types of cancer tumors
- Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) treats liver cancer tumors
- Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treats liver cancer tumors
Uterine fibroids
- Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) treats fibroid tumors of the uterus
Our doctors
Our interventional specialists are members of the Mass General Department of Radiology. Within the Department, these doctors work within teams tightly focused on their areas of specialization. The following divisions within the Department of Radiology provide interventional treatments:
- Abdominal Imaging & Intervention
- Musculoskeletal Imaging & Intervention
- Neurological Intervention
- Thoracic Imaging & Intervention
- Vascular Imaging & Intervention
Doctors from some of the above divisions are also members of the Massachusetts General Hospital Vascular Center. A multidisciplinary care center, the Vascular Center is one of the only vascular centers in the country with specialists in every area of vascular disease collaborating in the best interest of the patient.
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Providing the gold standard in nursing
Massachusetts General Hospital was the first hospital in the state to earn Magnet recognition, the highest honor for nursing excellence awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Radiation safety
Learn how Mass General Imaging works to increase patient safety by reducing radiation exposure in CT exams.
