Interventional Radiology: The New Trend in Malaysia’s Future Treatments

Dr Alex Tang (first from right) & the Vascular Interventional Radiology (VIR) team at SJMC

Interventional radiology (IR) is minimally invasive, efficient, low-risk, and has fast-recovery advantages. It has become a new option for medical treatment in parallel with internal medicine and surgery.

Today, in addition to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and drug-eluting bead chemoembolization, which have become another treatment option for liver cancer and metastatic liver cancer patients, the scope of interventional radiology can now cover patients from head to toe. It not only helps to improve the overall treatment effects, but also prolongs the survival of patients.

Interventional radiology in modern medical practice

As an emerging discipline that integrates imaging diagnosis and clinical treatment, interventional radiology is another branch of modern medicine after surgery and internal medicine.

Under the guidance of imaging equipment such as computed tomography, digital subtraction angiography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and other imaging devices; interventional radiology allows doctors to perform precise treatment on specific parts or organs of patients' bodies.

This treatment method uses percutaneous puncture catheters and other interventional devices to deliver drugs, vascular embolization, or dilation to the affected area of the human body, which is a treatment option for 'non-traditional surgery'.

Dr Alex Tang, Consultant Vascular & Interventional Radiologist at SJMC & Professor Dr Cheng Yu-Fan, a professor in the Department of Radiological Sciences at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

The growing prominence of interventional radiology

Currently, interventional radiology is gradually becoming popular worldwide. Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) recently held a "Malaysian Multidisciplinary Oncology Symposium" (MOSM) with the theme of "Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE)". The training course brought together international vascular and interventional radiology (VIR) experts and elites from Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and other countries to exchange and discuss the latest trends in relevant treatments.

In conjunction with the event, Dr Alex Tang, Consultant Vascular & Interventional Radiologist at SJMC who served as the director of the symposium, and Professor Dr Cheng Yu-Fan, a professor in the Department of Radiological Sciences at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan and one of the speakers, discussed the latest trends in interventional radiology in Malaysia and Taiwan, and provided an initial understanding of this treatment for everyone.

Source:
1. Sin Chew Online
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