The lecturer began by explaining what this still relatively little-known but rapidly developing field of medicine entails. He clarified the difference between a radiologist and an interventional radiologist. He also demonstrated the types of procedures performed in interventional radiology and explained how they are carried out.
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
During the presentation by our expert, participants could follow step by step how specific diagnostic procedures in interventional radiology are performed. One example was a CT-guided biopsy, during which a sample was taken from a lesion in the lungs for examination.
The lecturer emphasized that clinical radiology involves not only diagnostics but also minimally invasive therapeutic procedures. These are very often used in patients with tumors.
“In such cases, we perform ablations, which are procedures that lead to the destruction of a tumor. Here, we have two options: thermal ablation and cryoablation,” the expert explained. “In thermal ablation, a needle is inserted into the tumor, and a high temperature (100–120°C) is generated at its tip to burn the lesion along with a small margin of surrounding tissue. In cryoablation, low temperatures (from −20 to −40°C) are used to destroy the tumor by freezing it.”
Dr. hab. Grzegorz Rosiak also discussed the indications for such procedures and their benefits for patients. He noted that this is a particularly good solution for elderly patients and those with other conditions, such as heart disease.
The event concluded with an exceptionally long and engaging Q&A session. The high school students showed great interest in interventional radiology methods. They asked about the effectiveness of the procedures, potential complications, and the specific cases in which they could be applied.
During the fourth lecture of this year’s edition of the Patronage Program, we hosted 130 high school students. They were students from two Warsaw high schools under the patronage of WUM: Władysław IV High School No. 8 and Stefan Żeromski Bilingual High School No. 40. The lecture took place on March 16 in the auditorium of the University Dental Center.
