Your Interventional Radiology Visit: What to Expect

If you have been told you need a procedure in interventional radiology (IR), you may not know what to expect. IR is a specialty that many patients have never heard of before they need it. This guide explains what IR is, what types of vascular access procedures are performed there, and what your visit will be like.

What Is Interventional Radiology?

Interventional radiology is a medical specialty that performs minimally invasive procedures using imaging guidance — primarily fluoroscopy (live X-ray), ultrasound, and CT scanning — to see inside the body in real time without traditional open surgery.

Interventional radiologists are physicians who have completed both radiology training and specialized procedural training. They work in a specially equipped procedure suite equipped with imaging technology.

For vascular access, IR offers a highly controlled, imaging-guided environment particularly well suited for:

Complex or challenging catheter placements
Patients with difficult anatomy or previous failed attempts
Procedures requiring precise catheter tip positioning under fluoroscopy
Port placement and removal
Tunneled catheter placement and removal
Venogram (X-ray imaging of veins)
Treatment of catheter-related complications (blocked catheters, displaced catheters)

Common Vascular Access Procedures Done in IR

Procedure	What It Involves
PICC placement	As described in our PICC guide; done in IR when anatomy is complex
Implanted port placement	Minor surgical placement of port under sedation
Implanted port removal	Removal of existing port
Tunneled catheter placement	Placement of long-term tunneled catheter (Hickman, etc.)
Tunneled catheter removal	Removal of existing tunneled catheter
Catheter exchange	Replacing a malfunctioning catheter over a guide wire
Venogram	X-ray imaging of veins using contrast dye to assess vein anatomy
TPA instillation	Injecting a clot-dissolving drug into a blocked catheter

Before Your IR Appointment

Pre-procedure instructions

You will receive specific pre-procedure instructions from your care team. These may include:

Fasting (NPO): Required for procedures involving sedation. Your IR team will tell you when to stop eating and drinking. Follow these instructions precisely — eating beforehand may require postponing your procedure.

Medications: Review all your medications with the IR team in advance. Blood thinners typically need to be held; confirm specific instructions. Take your prescribed morning medications with a small sip of water unless told otherwise.

Lab work: You may be asked to have blood drawn in the days before your procedure — typically a complete blood count and INR/PT (to assess clotting). The IR team reviews these results for safety.

Allergies: Tell your IR team about all allergies, particularly:

Iodine or contrast dye (used for fluoroscopy in some procedures)
Chlorhexidine (CHG)
Latex
Local anesthetics
Seafood allergy (may be relevant to iodine contrast sensitivity — discuss with team)

Arranging a driver: If sedation is used, you cannot drive home. Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you or book a ride service.

What to wear

Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
Leave jewelry (especially necklaces) and valuables at home
You will change into a hospital gown

Arriving at the IR Suite

Check-in

Arrive at the time specified (typically 1 hour or more before the scheduled procedure). You will check in, complete paperwork, and may be brought to a pre-procedure area.

Pre-procedure preparation

A nurse will:

Take your vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse, oxygen level)
Confirm your identity (name and date of birth)
Review your medications and allergies
Start an IV line in your arm (for medications, sedation, and emergency access)
Answer any remaining questions
Ask you to change into a gown

The interventional radiologist

The physician performing your procedure will come to meet you before you go into the procedure room. They will:

Confirm what procedure is being performed
Review the risks, benefits, and alternatives — and answer your questions
Obtain your signed consent

This is your opportunity to ask any last questions. Speak up if anything is unclear.

The IR Procedure Room

The IR suite may feel unfamiliar. Here is what you will see:

A procedure table: A narrow, flat table that can be moved and tilted. It is firm and may feel cold initially.

Large imaging equipment: A C-arm fluoroscopy unit — a large X-ray machine that rotates around the table. You will hear it moving. It does not touch you; it simply takes live X-ray images. The room may be dimmed so the team can see the fluoroscopy screen clearly.

Monitoring equipment: A screen displaying your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level throughout the procedure.

A sterile field: The proceduralist and scrub technician work in a sterile zone. You will be draped with sterile sheets; only the small area being worked on is exposed.

Multiple staff: Depending on the procedure and the facility, you may have: the interventional radiologist, a radiology technologist (who operates the imaging equipment), a nurse, and/or a sedation nurse or anesthesiologist.

During the Procedure

Sedation

For procedures performed with sedation, the medications are given through your IV. You will feel relaxed, sleepy, and may not remember much of the procedure. You are breathing on your own; your oxygen level is monitored continuously. You can be woken if needed to follow instructions.

Local anesthetic is still injected at the incision or insertion site even when sedation is used.

What you will experience (for a port or tunneled catheter placement under sedation)

You will likely feel:

The effect of the sedation — warmth, relaxation, or drowsiness
Pressure and movement in the neck/chest area, but little to no pain

You should not feel:

Sharp pain (if you do, say so immediately — more local anesthetic or sedation can be given)

Contrast dye

For procedures guided by venogram or fluoroscopy with contrast, a small amount of iodine-based contrast dye may be injected into the catheter or vein. When contrast is injected:

You may feel a brief warm or hot flush throughout your body — sometimes described as feeling like you urinated (you did not). This is a normal sensation that fades within 30–60 seconds.
Some patients feel mild nausea briefly.
If you feel significant pain, difficulty breathing, hives, or throat tightness after contrast injection — tell the team immediately. These could be signs of a contrast reaction.

After the Procedure

Recovery

You will be taken to a recovery area where a nurse monitors you:

Vital signs checked frequently
Sedation wears off (typically 30–60 minutes)
The procedure site is assessed
You may be offered crackers or juice once you are awake

You should not feel rushed to leave recovery. Stay until you feel ready and your nurse has confirmed you are stable.

Post-procedure instructions

Before leaving, your IR nurse will provide:

Instructions for the specific device placed (dressing care, activity restrictions)
Information about when the device can first be used (if applicable)
Warning signs to watch for
Contact information for questions

Going home

If sedation was used: your driver must be present. You cannot drive or make legally binding decisions for 24 hours after sedation.
Do not drink alcohol the day of the procedure.
Plan for a quiet rest of the day.

What to Ask Before You Leave IR

“Can you confirm the device is in the correct position and working?”
“When can this catheter/port be used for treatment?”
“What are my activity restrictions and for how long?”
“What warning signs should bring me back in or to the ER?”
“Who do I call if I have questions or problems?”
“When is my follow-up appointment?”

This guide is for educational purposes. IR suites vary by facility and procedures vary significantly. Always follow the specific instructions given by your interventional radiology team.