Interventional Radiology

The Yale Interventional Radiology (IR) program is one of the leading IR programs in the nation. Yale New Haven Hospital interventional radiologists are recognized as pioneers in the field of minimally invasive medicine. They work with nursing and technologist staff to offer image-guided, non-surgical treatments for vascular and non-vascular disease with excellent outcomes for pediatric and adult patients.

At Yale New Haven Hospital, interventional radiology procedures are performed for a broad range of conditions spanning venous and arterial disease, gynecology, urology, gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary, oncology, infectious disease, and pediatrics. Interventional radiologists use advanced imaging modalities including ultrasound, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging to perform procedures through tiny pinholes, thereby avoiding surgery and long recovery times. IR advances enable minimally invasive treatment of many conditions on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to recover in the comfort of their own home.

Our team was the first in Connecticut and among the first in the nation to perform pulmonary embolectomy, a procedure for removal of a blood clot from the pulmonary arteries. Such patients are initially evaluated by the multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) and a comprehensive treatment plan is developed.

We are also home to one of the world’s leading hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and vascular malformation programs. Founded in 1994, both serve as role models for other programs around the world.

Minimally invasive Interventional Radiology treatments at Yale New Haven Hospital include:

Heart and vascular

• Angiography, angioplasty, and stenting for arterial disease
• Embolization for acute traumatic hemorrhage, gastrointestinal bleeding, and genitourinary bleeding
• Endovascular treatment of aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms
• Inferior vena cava filter placement and removal
• Non-surgical dialysis fistula creation and repair
• Pulmonary embolectomy to remove pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
• Treatment of arteriovenous malformations
• Venography, venous stenting and related procedures for venous occlusion and clot
• Venous ablation for varicose veins

Gastrointestinal/Hepatobiliary

• Gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy placement for nutrition
• Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement (TIPS) for upper GI bleeding and refractory ascites
• Treatment of benign and malignant bile duct obstructions
• Treatment of fluid collections in the chest, abdomen, and pelvis

Gynecology

• Fallopian tube recanalization for infertility
• Uterine fibroid embolization for fibroids and uterine artery embolization for post-partum hemorrhage

Oncology

• Lung, liver, kidney, prostate, bone, and soft tissue biopsies
• Spine biopsy, ablation and kyphoplasty for compression fractures
• Thermal ablation for lung, liver, bone, and kidney tumors
• Targeted embolization of liver tumors

Pediatric

• Diagnosis and treatment of liver disease, cancer, and vascular malformations

Urology

• Prostate artery embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Treatment of benign and malignant urinary obstructions
• Venous sclerosis and embolization for varicoceles

The Yale IR residency training at Yale New Haven Medical Center is the only IR training program in the state of Connecticut. We offer three integrated IR residency positions a year. In addition, up to two independent IR residency training positions are available. We are accepting applications through ERAS/NRMP on a yearly basis.

Yale IR is a leader in global IR, bringing minimally invasive treatment options to underserved populations worldwide. In collaboration with Emory University and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Yale IR has established the first accredited IR training program in sub-Saharan Africa. Before initiation of this training program there was not a single interventional radiologist in Tanzania, an East African nation with a population of nearly 60 million people. This means that many essential and life-saving procedures could not be performed. Yale IR has coordinated deployment over 100 teams to Tanzania for two-week teaching trips since 2018, overseeing several thousand IR procedures ranging from simple biopsies to TACE and TIPS. Yale IR recognizes the important role minimally invasive treatments will play in improving medical care in underserved regions of the world and is committed to making these advances available to as many people as possible. This work has been supported by several institutional and national grants, including the RSNA Research & Education Foundation Derek Harwood-Nash International Scholar Grant. In 2023, this training program was further expanded to Uganda and Rwanda, creating improved access to IR for another 50 million people. Yale IR trainees have the opportunity to participate and travel to East Africa for two-week electives during their training. For more information visit the Yale IR Outreach Program website and find us on Twitter and Instagram under “Road2IR". For more information visit the Yale IR Outreach Program website and on X, Facebook, and Instagram.