Neurointerventional Radiology

Expert Cerebrovascular Disorder Care

Neurointerventional radiology is a specialty that uses minimally invasive techniques principally to treat cerebrovascular disease, or disorders of the circulation of the brain and spinal cord in children and adults. Cerebrovascular disorders evaluated by our team include brain aneurysm, brain/spine arteriovenous malformation, stroke, cerebrovascular stenosis and vascular tumors. MCR has offered neurointerventional radiology to the Hampton Roads region since 1994.

Our Neurointerventional Radiology Legacy

In the over 30 years that MCR has delivered exceptional neurointerventional radiology care to the Peninsula and the surrounding communities, we have achieved the following:

MCR was the first in the region to offer advanced endovascular treatments for brain aneurysm with the introduction of GDC coil embolization in 1996.
Our team was the first in the Hampton Roads, VA area to offer liquid embolic embolization for brain arteriovenous malformations.
MCR pioneered cerebrovascular angioplasty and stenting in Hampton Roads, VA.
We established advanced endovascular treatments for acute ischemic stroke.
MCR developed a non-invasive comprehensive cerebrovascular imaging service utilizing CT angiography and advanced 3D angiography of the brain.

Our Collaborative Neurointerventional Radiology Program

This program was developed in strong collaboration with referring services in neurosurgery, neurology, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, vascular surgery and the Sentara Health Care System. Our neurointerventional radiology treatment plans are carefully formulated after appropriate collaborative consultations and discussion. We are dedicated to offering state-of-the-art therapeutic options for patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Neurointerventional Radiology Services In Hampton Roads, VA

Cerebrovascular disorders affect the arteries, veins and blood vessels, which are responsible for supplying blood to the brain. Our neurointerventional radiology services prioritize the health and function of the brain, spine and surrounding areas by offering the following minimally-invasive imaging techniques and procedures.

Angiography

Diagnostic carotid and cerebral angiography: Diagnostic carotid is diagnostic imaging of the carotid arteries, which are major blood vessels in your neck that supply blood to the brain. A cerebral arteriogram is a diagnostic imaging test that provides detailed images of these blood vessels and is used to detect abnormalities like aneurysms, blockages or vascular malformations.
Spinal angiography: Spinal angiography is a type of imaging test that our neurointerventional radiologists use to examine blood vessels in the spine and the spinal cord.

Vascular Intervention

Balloon angioplasty and stent placement: To perform this minimally invasive procedure, our radiologists use a catheter tipped with a balloon to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels. Our team will also often place a stent (a tiny mesh tube) to keep the vessel open. Balloon angioplasty is used for:
- Brain arteries: These are the blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain, including the carotid and vertebral arteries.
- Carotid arteries: These are the main arteries in the neck that deliver blood to the brain, face and scalp. They are common sites of plaque buildup, which can increase the risk of stroke.
Coiling brain aneurysms: Our neurointerventional radiologists insert tiny coils into a brain aneurysm to fill it and prevent rupture via an endovascular approach, or inserting a catheter through the blood vessels.
Embolization treatment of AVM: This procedure helps reduce bleeding risk when preparing for surgery. MCR’s neurointerventional radiologists inject a liquid or particle agent to block abnormal blood vessels in an arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
Treatment of acute stroke: This emergency stroke intervention method includes thrombectomy to remove the clot.
Thrombolysis of dural sinus thrombosis: This refers to the use of clot-dissolving drugs (like tPA), sometimes using a catheter, to break up blood clots in the venous sinuses of the brain that drain blood, treating dural sinus thrombosis.

Treatment Of Tumors

Pre-surgical embolization of brain tumors: Our neurointerventional radiologists will perform this procedure to block blood vessels that feed into a tumor with glue. This is often done before tumor removal surgery to make it safer.
Vessel occlusion for resection of large neck tumors: This procedure blocks blood vessels supplying a large neck tumor in order to help minimize blood loss and make surgical removal easier.

Image-Guided Needle Biopsy

Minimally-invasive CT, ultrasound and X-ray guided biopsies: During this minimally invasive procedure, our neurointerventional radiologists use a needle to collect tissue samples with the use of digital imaging.

Spine

Discography: In this diagnostic procedure, our team injects contrast dye into spinal discs to identify the source of back pain, using imaging to assess disc structure.
Vertebroplasty for vertebral fractures: This minimally invasive procedure adds bone cement in a fractured vertebra to stabilize the spine and relieve pain.
Sacroplasty: Similar to vertebroplasty, our neurointerventional radiologists inject bone cement into the sacrum to treat fractures and reduce pain.

Hemangiomas And Vascular Birthmarks (At Children’s Hospital of King’s Daughters)

Angiography: This imaging test helps guide treatment for birthmarks by using contrast dye and X-rays to visualize the blood vessels feeding a hemangioma or vascular birthmark.
Embolization: An embolization is a minimally invasive procedure in which our neurointerventional radiologists block the blood vessels in order to reduce the size or blood flow to an hemangioma or vascular birthmark.

Our Locations

Decades of Trusted Experience in Radiology

6275 E Virginia Beach Blvd, Suite 300, Norfolk, Virginia 23502

(757) 466-0089