Intervention and Pain Management
INTERVENTIONAL ULTRASOUND PROCEDURES
You may have been referred for an ultrasound guided interventional procedure, such as a steroid injection, contrast injection, biopsy, or aspiration.
The sonographer will explain the procedure to you. The radiologist will perform the interventional procedure and answer any questions to ensure that your consent is obtained.
Strict sterile procedures will always be used at our practice to maintain infection control. We often use local anaesthesia along with our injections, but you may decline the use of local anaesthesia.
Recognised complications include: bruising or infection after any needle puncture. Please consult your doctor if there is redness, heat, or pain at the injection site after the procedure.
Here are some links to common ultrasound guided procedures
Ultrasound guided joint injection
Ultrasound guided carpal tunnel injection
Ultrasound guided thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy
Ultrasound guided breast fine needle aspiration biopsy
INTERVENTIONAL CT GUIDED PROCEDURES
You may have been referred for a CT guided interventional procedure, such as a steroid injection, contrast injection, biopsy, or aspiration.
The radiographer will explain the procedure to you.
The radiologist will perform the interventional procedure and answer any questions to ensure that your consent is obtained.
Strict sterile procedures will always be used at our practice to maintain infection control.
We often use local anaesthesia along with our injections, but you may decline the use of local anaesthesia.
Recognised complications include: bruising or infection after any needle puncture.
Please consult your doctor if there is redness, heat, or pain at the injection site after the procedure.
Here are some links to common interventional procedures:
CT guided cervical nerve root injection
CT guided lumbar epidural injection
CT guided lumbar facet joint injection
INTERVENTION COST
AdelaideMRI aims to provide excellence in imaging at all times. As part of this commitment, we make affordable medical imaging a cornerstone of our business.
To meet this commitment, We BULK BILL all Medicare Eligible Interventional procedures. Bulk billing means no gap payment and no large, unexpected out of pocket expense.
Please check if your procedure is eligible when booking. Medicare guidelines are very specific about which examinations are covered by the Medicare schedule.
It’s your choice where you have your Scan or Xray. Call us with any practice’s Imaging request form for an appointment.
You can use our request form if your doctor has requested an X-ray or scan, at any radiology practice.
Sometimes your doctor may require traditional large format plastic images; in this case let us know and we will print plastic images for you – a surcharge applies for these copies.
WHERE CAN I UNDERGO AN INTERVENTIONAL PROCEDURE?
Intervention is offered at all our practices. Fine needle biopsy is currently available only at our Elizabeth practice due to restrictions on availability of a Pathologist on-site to review samples as they are obtained.
You must ring and book an appointment to ensure you are correctly prepared.
INTERVENTION PREPARATION
Bring your Request form, Medicare card and all old Xrays, scans, reports and films every time you visit us.
If you are on blood thinning medication please let our staff know. Please bring your latest INR or APPT result. Discuss the procedure with your referring doctor as you may need to stop your warfarin or other blood thinning medication prior to the procedure. If you are being treated for a kidney problem or are a diabetic, please let our staff know.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE INTERVENTIONAL PROCEDURE?
An interventional radiology procedure involves the placement of a fine needle through your skin and into a designated location. We often use local anaesthesia along with our injections, but you may decline the use of local anaesthesia.
Following insertion, the needle will be guided into position, using either CT scan or ultrasound. The position of the needle may be confirmed by the injection of contrast material (“dye”) and/or removal of fluid. If contrast material is injected into one of your veins, you may be asked to hold your breath for several seconds as some pictures are taken.
During the injection of the xray contrast material, you may experience a warm feeling or a strange taste in your mouth. Both of these sensations are temporary and will go away soon. It may be necessary to make more than one pass of the needle to achieve the proper location and or to acquire sufficient material to complete the intervention.
We routinely arrange for a pathologist to be on site looking at the samples we obtain at the time of biopsy and we will need to arrange a time appropriate for you and the pathologist. Samples are processed in the pathology laboratory and results are sent to your doctor. This may take a few days. You will be required to sign a pathology form.
INTERVENTIONAL PROCEDURAL RISK
Recognised complications include: pain or discomfort at the needle insertion site, bruising or infection after any needle puncture. Please consult your doctor if there is redness, heat, or pain at the injection / procedural site after the procedure. Strict sterile procedures will used be applied at our practice to maintain infection control.
Risks are rare, but are associated with contrast material (“dye”) including various allergic reactions or a temporary reduction in kidney function.