subject: Specializing in Cardiac- and Vascular-Interventional Radiography [print this page] Specializing in cardiac- and vascular-interventional radiography is a challenging career choice for a medical doctor, but it is also a rewarding and lucrative choice due to the specialized nature of this work. Cardiac and vascular interventional radiography is a subspecialty in the field of radiography that is dedicated to cardiovascular imaging and image guided surgery. It will take many years of schooling and training, but you will be able to enjoy a high paying career involving the diagnoses and treatment of various illnesses once it's all through.
The great thing about cardiac and vascular interventional radiography is the minimally invasive nature of these imaging exams and treatments. As a radiographer you will be trained to use images to direct interventional procedures with needles and catheters in order to diagnose and treat diseases. These specialized procedures reduce infections and shorten recovery time compared to other intervention techniques. There has been a myriad of advancements in this field since the 1970s, after the Seldinger technique and other improved methods were introduced.
As a medical doctor specializing in cardiac- and vascular-interventional radiography you will be trained to perform imaging modalities including computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US). The fastest and most accurate techniques are computed tomography and fluoroscopy, but these are also the most potentially harmful to the doctor and patient. Magnetic resonance imaging offers excellent images with high tissue contrast, but it is expensive and requires some of the most specialized instruments in this field. Ultrasound imaging is fast and inexpensive, but it often produces images with lower quality and tissue contrast problems. You will have to decide when one method is preferable over another depending on the situation.
The training you will need to complete to become a cardiac- and vascular-interventional radiologist will include the completion of a four-year bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, a preliminary year of training (internship), a four year diagnostic radiology residency program, and a one or two year fellowship in vascular and interventional radiology. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but many people find that the rewards of this important career are worth the initial hardships.
Specializing in Cardiac- and Vascular-Interventional Radiography
