The role of interventional radiology in obstetric and gynaecology practice

Interventional radiology is continuing to reshape current practice in many specialties of clinical care. It is a relatively new and innovative branch of medicine in which physicians treat diseases non-operatively through small catheters guided to the target by fluoroscopic and other imaging modalities. The aim is to provide image-guided, minimally invasive alternatives to traditional surgical and medical procedures in suitable cohorts of patients. Procedures which previously required major surgery can now be performed by interventional radiologists, sometimes on an outpatient basis, with little patient discomfort. In this review, we highlight the importance of interventional radiology in treating a comprehensive range of obstetric and gynaecological pathologies.