IRSA calls for greater adoption of interventional radiology

Despite its potential as a minimally invasive technique for a range of conditions, embolisation remains largely underutilised in Australia and New Zealand.¹

The Interventional Radiology Society of Australasia (IRSA) and interventional radiologists (IRs) are hoping to change this. This was the key takeaway from the 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM), hosted by IRSA in Christchurch New Zealand from 5–7 August.

Under the theme of ‘Frontiers in Embolisation’, industry professionals discussed the latest techniques and application of embolisation across a range of conditions, including uterine fibroids, prostate enlargement, liver tumours and knee arthritis.

Dr Chris Rogan, Interventional Radiologist and President of IRSA, said interventional radiologists need to step up in educating primary care specialists and non-GP healthcare professionals, as well as patients, on the value and utility of IR to improve patient access and care.

“Interventional radiology is not a new field and over the last few decades it has proven to be an integral part of modern patient care, helping improve patient outcomes with reduced morbidity and shorter recovery times. However, we continue to face limited awareness amongst our medical colleagues when it comes to the extensive capabilities of interventional radiologists, who sometimes see us as competition rather than partners,” Rogan said.

“As experts in embolisation, we form an integral part of the patients’ treatment team to ensure they receive tailored care that suits their needs and requirements. It is important to note that as interventional radiologists, we are uniquely trained to offer minimally invasive image-guided therapies such as embolisation as part of a comprehensive service, which starts with clinical and imaging diagnosis, then onto minimally invasive treatment delivery as well as associated clinical management across a range of conditions.”

Professor Jafar Golzarian, Professor of Radiology at the University of Minnesota and Founder and CEO of NorthStar Vascular and Interventional, said, “Embolisation can be used for conditions affecting nearly every area of a human body. Global advancements in embolisation are accelerating; however, not all geographies are adopting it at the same pace.”

Dr Brendan Buckley, Clinical Director of Interventional Radiology at Auckland City Hospital, who co-led a practical workshop at the ASM on cryoablation, emphasised the importance of multi-specialty care and integration of IR into multidisciplinary teams.

“There is a global trend in increased diagnosis of kidney cancers. In 2023, around 4600 Australians and over 600 people in New Zealand were diagnosed with kidney cancer.^1,2 As IRs, we can offer a minimally invasive treatment option, like cryoablation, that can provide excellent outcomes with reduced complications and quicker recovery, particularly for elderly patients,” Buckley said.

“However, this innovative procedure could be more widely considered. It is just one example, but it proves that as a healthcare industry we need to do more for interventional radiologists to be seen as partners to GPs and specialists, as we all have the same goal — to help our patients attain the best outcomes and care.”

^{1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Cancer data in Australia. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia.}

^{2. Ministry of Health NZ. (2023). Cancer web tool. Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. Retrieved from https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-health-professionals/data-and-statistics/nz-health-statistics/health-statistics-and-data-sets/cancer-data-and-statistics/cancer-web-tool/}

Image: Supplied.