Special Image-Guided Radiology Procedures

At Delaney Radiology, our providers perform several types of minimally invasive, image-guided radiology procedures for specialized diagnostic or treatment purposes. This includes:

• Therapeutic Joint Injection—In a procedure that has both diagnostic and pain management purposes, a provider injects an anesthetic and steroid into the joint. The response to the injection determines whether the targeted joint is the cause of the pain, while also providing temporary pain relief that can last from hours to months.
• Facet Injection—In this procedure a precise injection of anesthetic and steroid is administered into the small joints of the back for pain relief. Often, multiple injections are performed at different segments to identify which segments are generating pain. The procedure is very important for precise diagnosis and treatment of neck and low back pain.
• Spinal Injection—Several procedures can be performed to diagnose and treat pain arising from the lower back, including epidural injections and selective nerve root blocks.  In these procedures, imaging is used to guide a needle into the space around the nerves in order to inject an anesthetic and/or steroid to ease pain and reduce inflammation.  Pain relief can last several months and be repeated multiple times per year as necessary.
• Image-Guided Biopsy—In this procedure a small amount of anesthetic is administered to numb the area. A small sample is removed for diagnostic purposes and then sent to a lab to determine the make-up of the area of concern.
• Drainage Procedures—In this procedure, a small amount of anesthetic is administered to numb the area of interest. A needle is inserted to drain fluid collections. Removing fluid will provide relief from pain, pressure and discomfort.
• Venous Line Placement—When patients require ongoing access to the veins for medications or laboratory work, a small catheter can be placed in one of the veins of the arm to eliminate the need for repeated needle sticks. Using a combination of ultrasound and fluoroscopy, the catheter is guided to the correct location and secured in place to allow easy access.