Interventional radiology now makes possible new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to many disease processes. Technological advances in catheter design coupled with newer imaging modalities, eg, ultrasound and computed tomography, make it feasible for the interventional radiologist to gain access to virtually any structure within the body via a percutaneous approach. Disease states can be modified and in some cases definitively corrected by the transcatheter delivery of various pharmacologic or inert agents. Precise localization of abdominal and retroperitoneal masses allows for the safe and accurate percutaneous aspiration biopsy of deep-seated lesions. The use of the skills of the interventional radiologist can speed the diagnostic evaluation of many cases, may eliminate the need for exploratory laparotomy, and may offer new therapeutic approaches where previously there was little or no hope for therapeutic success.
介入放射学现在使针对许多疾病过程采用新的诊断和治疗方法成为可能。导管设计方面的技术进步与更新的成像方式（如超声和计算机断层扫描）相结合，使得介入放射科医生通过经皮途径几乎能够进入体内的任何结构。通过经导管输送各种药理或惰性药物，可以改变疾病状态，在某些情况下还能进行确切的纠正。腹部和腹膜后肿块的精确定位使得对深部病变进行安全、准确的经皮穿刺活检成为可能。介入放射科医生技能的运用可以加快许多病例的诊断评估，可能无需进行剖腹探查，并且在以前几乎没有或根本没有治疗成功希望的情况下提供新的治疗方法。
