Published on March 31, 2026

A Less Invasive Way to Treat Many Health Problems: Interventional Radiology

By Jeffrey Zapawa, MD

Jeffrey Zapawa, MD

Imagine being able to treat certain medical problems without large incisions or traditional surgery. That’s the promise of interventional radiology, a modern approach that uses advanced imaging technology to guide tiny instruments inside the body.

Instead of making large surgical cuts, interventional radiologists use real-time X-ray, CT scans, or ultrasound to see inside the body and carefully guide small tools through a tiny opening in the skin. For many patients, this means less pain, fewer risks, and a faster recovery compared to traditional open surgery.

Benefits for Patients

Minimally invasive procedures performed in interventional radiology can offer several advantages, including:

  • Quicker recovery times
  • Less pain
  • Shorter hospital stays
  • Lower overall costs
  • Reduced risk of complications

Many procedures can even be done on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day.

A Wide Range of Procedures

The interventional radiology team at UNC Health Southeastern works closely with primary care providers, surgeons, and oncologists to diagnose and treat many conditions.

Common procedures include:

  • Image-guided biopsies of the breast, lungs, or organs in the abdomen
  • Draining fluid that builds up around the lungs or abdomen
  • Placing stents to help keep important pathways in the body open
  • Pain-relief procedures such as epidurals or joint injections

In some cases, interventional radiologists can also place a small tube to help relieve blockages in the kidney or manage drainage from the gallbladder or other organs. If a drainage tube has already been placed and needs to be replaced or exchanged, many of these procedures can be handled locally.

Helping Patients Recover at Home

For certain conditions, doctors can place special catheters that allow fluid to drain at home, reducing the need for repeated trips to the hospital while a patient is recovering.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy may also need a device called a mediport, which allows powerful medications to be delivered safely without damaging blood vessels. This small device can be implanted in the body through a minimally invasive procedure performed in the hospital’s interventional radiology suite.

High-Quality Care Close to Home

UNC Health Southeastern offers these services in a dedicated interventional radiology suite, bringing advanced treatment options to the local community.

Because these procedures are minimally invasive, many patients recover faster and return to their normal activities sooner. If you believe interventional radiology may help with a health concern, talk with your primary care physician about whether a referral to UNC Health Southeastern’s interventional radiology team may be right for you.

Receiving advanced care close to home can make treatment easier, more convenient, and less stressful for patients and their families.

Jeffrey Zapawa, MD, is the medical director for UNC Health Southeastern’s radiology department. In addition to offering services you’d expect from a community healthcare system, UNC Health Southeastern provides a number of specialized services that are unique to our system and not available anywhere else in the region. To schedule an appointment, call our referral line at 984-974-CARE. To learn more, visit UNCHealthSE.org.