The University of Cincinnati Interventional Radiology section offers an ACGME approved dedicated Independent IR residency that provides expert training in image-guided procedures, patient care and diagnostic imaging. The program provides the technical and clinical knowledge that is the foundation to a successful IR career.

The University of Cincinnati Independent IR program accepts two residents per year. The program accepts both Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) and non-ESIR resident applicants. Diagnostic Radiology residents who successfully complete a certified ESIR curriculum will be eligible to matriculate into the Independent IR residency as an advanced resident and complete the program in one year. After successful completion the graduate will be qualified to obtain dual certification in IR/DR by the American Board of Radiology.

Diagnostic residents who develop early interest in Interventional radiology are eligible to apply to the ESIR program in the PGY4 (R3) year. ESIR program accepts two DR residents per year, who are selected by the diagnostic and interventional radiology program directors.

The majority of a resident's training will be spent at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC). UCMC is a tertiary referral center, Level 1 trauma center, an active center for liver, kidney, pancreas and heart transplants, advanced hepatobiliary procedures, complex IVC filter retrievals and part of the Cincinnati Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Center of Excellence. At UCMC, the IR section has more than 8000 patient encounters per year. Residents also rotate through Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, one of the premiere children's hospitals in the nation, and will gain advanced pediatric interventional radiology experience. The residents also will have experience with outpatient evaluation and procedures through the IR clinic and IR vein center. The IR clinic provides over 900 patient encounters annually. The IR vein center provides over 300 patient encounters and 100 outpatient vein procedures annually. The resident also has the opportunity to rotate through the University of Cincinnati West Chester Hospital, a 160 bed hospital with latest technology.

Clinical Experience

The Independent IR residents easily meet the 1,000 invasive image guided procedures during their training. Overall, the Interventional Radiology section performs more than 8000 procedures per year, interacting with almost all medical specialties. The Interventional Radiology resident gains expertise in diverse clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including: 

• Interventional oncology: hepatic chemoembolization, radioembolization, immunoembolization and percutaneous ablation for hepatocellular cancer and renal cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, and metastatic ocular melanoma. 
• Post-transplant interventions: renal artery stenosis, hepatic artery stenosis, portal vein and hepatic vein interventions, biliary stricture.
• Liver and biliary interventions: TIPS, BRTO, portal vein recanalization, percutaneous biliary drainage, and  portal vein embolization.
• Pulmonary artery: PE thrombolysis, AVM embolization. 
• Gender specific health interventions: Uterine fibroid embolization, pelvic congestion syndrome treatment, prostate artery embolization, varicocele embolization.
• Venous disease: acute and chronic DVT thrombolysis and recanalization, complex IVC filter removal, superficial venous ablation, microphlebectomy, sclerotherapy.
• Dialysis intervention: Central vein recanalization/stenting, fistula and graft interventions, Hero graft placements, endovascular arteriovenous fistula creations.
• Non-oncological embolotherapy: vascular malformation, trauma, gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Pain management: percutaneous nerve blocks and neurolysis.
• GI tract: Gastric and jejunal feeding tube placements.
• GU tract: neprostomy, ureteral stent placement/removal, complex access or nephrolithiasis.
• Lymphatic interventions: Lymphangiography, thoracic duct embolization.

Facilities

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center location has six rooms including four state of the art interventional radiology suites, one procedural CT scanner with CT-fluoroscopy capabilities, a C-arm suite. Patients are cared for in a six-bed pre-procedural space and a six-bed post procedural space. At the UC West Chester Hospital location there is a state of the art interventional radiology site, one procedural CT scanner with CT-fluoroscopy capabilities, and a dedicated ultrasound procedural room. At the IR vein center, there are five clinic rooms and a procedure suite. Within the dedicated IR Clinic there are three clinic rooms and a provider workroom.

Education Conferences:

Dedicated education conference includes weekly didactic lectures in interventional radiology, Interesting case conferences, hepatobiliary multidisciplinary conference, and biweekly vascular access conference. There are monthly Morbidity, Mortality & Improvement conference and journal club. Please see Curriculum, Duties and Responsibilities for details.