Urology resident experience with an elective in interventional radiology: a pilot evaluation

The objective of the study was to evaluate the initial experience with an elective in interventional uroradiology.

Seven urology residents completed a minimum 2-month elective in interventional radiology (IR). A survey was administered before and immediately after the elective. The survey sought information on proficiency in uroradiology procedures and the role of IR in current training and future practice based on a 5-point ascending Likert response scale. Procedures performed during the elective were reviewed and recorded from the resident case logs.

Urology residents reported an increased proficiency in all interventional procedures after the IR rotation. Endovascular techniques, ablative therapies, and needle biopsy had significant increases in performance proficiency (P=0.031). On completion, residents strongly agreed that interventional uroradiology should be a part of residency training, and image-guided therapies will play a significant role in the future of urology. Residents performed on average 14.9 arterial interventions, 28.5 venous interventions, 15.8 genitourinary interventions, and 3.1 tumor ablations per month. In addition, urology residents performed image-guided biopsies, drainages, as well as gastrointestinal and biliary interventions gaining experience with performing and interpreting ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, and CT.

Interventional uroradiology provides urology residents invaluable experience with image-guided procedures, increasing comfort with performance and interpretation. Residents believed that interventional uroradiology should be incorporated into the residency curriculum.