IR consult communication
How to Consult Interventional Radiology
What to include when calling Interventional Radiology about drainage, biopsy, embolization, nephrostomy, cholecystostomy, thrombectomy, line access, or procedure readiness.
Lead With the Decision
What procedure are you asking IR to consider, why now, and what makes the patient ready or not ready for it?
Not sure whether the consult is appropriate? Start with the Should I Consult IR? triage page, then return here before calling.
Before the call
Have These Details Ready
- Requested procedure and indication: drain, biopsy, embolization, nephrostomy, chole tube, line, thrombectomy, abscess, bleeding, obstruction, or access problem.
- Relevant imaging study/date and exact target: size, location, access window, laterality, collection maturity, bleeding source, hydronephrosis, or vascular finding.
- Acuity, hemodynamics, sepsis/bleeding status, current service, disposition pressure, and whether surgery/GI/urology/vascular is also involved.
- Procedure readiness: NPO status, anticoagulation/antiplatelets, INR/platelets, allergies, renal function, airway/sedation concerns, consent capacity, and code status if relevant.
- Specific ask: emergent procedure, add-on timing, image review, alternative service, transfer, or outpatient scheduling.
Exam focus
Document the Specialty-Relevant Exam
- Vitals and trajectory, source-focused exam, access-site constraints, infection/bleeding signs, and drain/device status if present.
- Recent labs that affect procedure planning: CBC, INR/PTT, platelets, creatinine, cultures when drainage is requested.
- NPO time, anticoagulant timing, and whether consent/sedation issues are expected.
Phone or secure-chat script
A Cleaner IR Consult Message
I am calling about a [age]-year-old who may need [IR procedure] for [indication]. Imaging from [date] shows [target/location/size/access issue]. The patient is [stable/unstable] with [sepsis/bleeding/obstruction]. Procedure readiness: NPO [time], anticoagulation [status], platelets/INR [values], renal/allergy/sedation issues [details]. My question is [timing/feasibility/alternative route/next step].
Common pitfalls
Avoid Low-Signal Consults
- “Can you drain this?” without procedure target, imaging date, access context, and acuity.
- Omitting anticoagulation, NPO status, and platelet/INR details.
- Using IR as the first call before clarifying whether surgery, GI, urology, vascular, or medical management is the appropriate owner.
Reference links
Useful Background
Educational tools only. SIC provides clinician-facing educational consult-triage references. SIC does not diagnose, treat, prevent, cure, or mitigate disease and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, local guidelines, institutional referral pathways, or recommendations from the relevant specialty department. See disclaimer and how SIC works.