Programs & Services

Interventional Radiology performs minimally invasive procedures without the need for open surgery. This allows for faster and more comfortable recovery. Our medical team, specifically trained to work with children, performs these procedures in an environment that promotes healing and wellness.

When undergoing any IR procedure, sedation and/or general anesthesia is sometimes necessary. If your child will require sedation or general anesthesia, we will tell you before your child’s appointment.

Below is a partial listing of our most common interventional radiology procedures at Phoenix Children's:

• Abscess Drainage: A procedure to remove infected fluid found inside the body.
• Angioplasty/Stenting: A procedure to open a narrowed artery or vein to improve its flow.
• Arteriogram/Venogram: A procedure to visualize the veins and arteries, and in some cases perform therapeutic treatment.
• Biliary Intervention: Procedure used to improve the bile drainage from the liver in patients where this is impaired.
• Biopsies: A biopsy is the removal of a small sample of tissue to help diagnose, monitor and treat different disorders and diseases. We perform biopsies of the liver, kidney , lungs, lymph nodes, bones and other abnormal tissues.
• Chemo-Embolization: A procedure to directly place chemotherapeutic agent into a blood vessel to treat a tumor.
• Dialysis Access: A procedure to place or revise a venous catheter, or revise a fistula, in patients requiring dialysis for kidney dysfunction.
• Embolization: A procedure to place material in a blood vessel to temporarily or permanently seal it off, such as to treat internal bleeding or to reduce the blood flow to a mass.
• Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube) Placement: A procedure to place a feeding tube in the stomach. G-tubes are most commonly used to provide supplemental feeding, hydration, or medication.
• Gastrojejunostomy Tube (GJ-Tube) Placement and Exchanges: A procedure to place a feeding tube that ends in the small intestines. GJ-tubes commonly vent drainage out of a child’s stomach and provide an alternate way to feed a child.
• Joint Procedures: Accessing joints with a small needle to either sample fluid, administer dye prior to MR imaging, or administer therapeutics into the joint.
• Lumbar Puncture (LP): A procedure to access the cerebrospinal fluid, to either sample it or to administer therapy.
• Nasojejunal Tube (NJ-Tube) Placement: A procedure to place a feeding tube that goes from the nose to the small intestines. NJ-tubes are commonly used to give supplemental food, hydration and medication.
• Nephrostomy Tube Placement: A procedure to place a tube that drains urine from the kidneys when there is blockage or an internal urine leak.
• Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC): A procedure to place a special intravenous catheter that can be used for an extended time, such as for chemotherapy or other ongoing treatment.
• Port-a-cath Placement: A procedure to place a long-term catheter in a large blood vessel with a reservoir that rests under the skin on the chest.
• Sclerotherapy: A procedure used to treat blood vessels or blood vessel malformations (also known as vascular malformations) and those of the lymphatic system. A medicine is injected into the vessels, which makes them shrink. 
• Thrombolysis/Thrombectomy: Procedure involving removal of a clot from arteries or veins.
• Tumor ablation: A procedure to burn or freeze a tumor to irradicate or shrink it.