From the Research
Interventional radiology in New Zealand is a growing specialty that provides minimally invasive, image-guided procedures for diagnosis and treatment across various medical conditions, with approximately 40-50 practicing interventional radiologists performing procedures such as angioplasty, stenting, embolization, biopsy, drainage, and ablation therapies. The field operates within New Zealand's public healthcare system and private hospitals, with services concentrated in major urban centers like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton. Training typically involves completing radiology specialization through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) followed by interventional radiology fellowship training, often undertaken overseas in Australia, North America, or Europe due to limited domestic fellowship positions, as highlighted in a comparison of interventional radiology training in five English-speaking countries 1.
The specialty faces challenges including geographic accessibility issues for rural patients, workforce shortages, and funding constraints for advanced equipment and techniques. Despite these challenges, the field continues to evolve with adoption of new technologies like drug-eluting devices and advanced imaging guidance systems, though sometimes at a slower pace than larger healthcare markets due to New Zealand's smaller population and healthcare budget considerations. Some of the key procedures performed by interventional radiologists in New Zealand include:
- Angioplasty and stenting for peripheral artery disease, which has been shown to improve clinical outcomes compared to medical treatment alone 2
- Embolization and ablation therapies for various conditions, including cancer and vascular malformations
- Biopsy and drainage procedures for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes
The management of peripheral artery disease, a condition that affects a significant portion of the population, is a key area of focus for interventional radiologists in New Zealand, with treatment options including pharmacological therapies, interventional and surgical revascularization of blood vessels, as well as antithrombotic treatment 3. Additionally, the role of interventional radiology in elective orthopaedic practice is an emerging area of application, with potential benefits for patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures 4. However, there are also challenges related to impaired responsiveness to clopidogrel and aspirin in patients with recurrent stent thrombosis following percutaneous intervention for peripheral artery disease, which highlights the need for careful patient selection and management 5.