Embolization: Minimally Invasive Tumor Treatment by Blocking Blood Supply

Embolization is an image-guided procedure that deliberately occludes blood vessels feeding a tumor or vascular malformation.

How It Works

• Catheter inserted via femoral/radial artery under fluoroscopy.
• Navigated to target vessel (e.g., hepatic artery for liver tumors).
• Embolic agents deployed:
  • Particles: PVA, microspheres (size-matched to vessel).
  • Coils: Platinum/fibered—mechanical occlusion.
  • Liquid embolics: Onyx, NBCA glue—penetrate nidus.
  • Drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE): Loaded with chemotherapy (doxorubicin) for transarterial chemoembolization.

Indications

• Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver metastases.
• Uterine fibroids (UFE), prostate artery embolization (BPH).
• AVMs, aneurysms, epistaxis, GI bleeding, trauma.
• Pre-surgical devascularization (e.g., renal cell carcinoma, meningioma).

Advantages

• Minimally invasive, shorter recovery vs. surgery.
• Organ-preserving (e.g., uterus, kidney).
• Can be repeated.

Performed by interventional radiologists; multidisciplinary tumor board guides candidacy.