Preprocedural IR Consults Improve Patient Experience and Reduce Anxiety, Study Finds

New research suggests that preprocedure consultations with interventional radiologists can enhance patient satisfaction and reduce anxiety, among other positive outcomes.

While technological progress has established interventional radiology (IR) as a “fundamental specialty in modern medicine,” the field's clinical evolution—especially in assuming full responsibility for patient care over time—has not kept pace, experts noted in a recent European Radiology article published Tuesday.

Researchers in Spain set out to explore the impact of such consultations, conducting a randomized clinical trial that included educational videos about IR procedures. The study demonstrated clear benefits, as these interventions improved patient understanding of the specialty.

“This work is noteworthy because it is a randomized clinical trial that provides solid evidence to reinforce current guidelines aimed at promoting a more active clinical role of interventional radiologists. Until now, these recommendations lacked an empirical basis for this standard,” said lead author Pedro Blas García Jurado of the Radiology Department at Reina Sofía University Hospital in Córdoba, Spain, along with his co-authors.

They continued, “Future studies should evaluate the benefits of extending this approach to all phases of longitudinal care, such as post-procedure consultations and hospital follow-up, analyzing its impact on quality, safety and financial sustainability in order to consolidate a comprehensive model in modern IR.”

The randomized trial was conducted at a single center between 2022 and 2024 and involved 430 patients who were scheduled for interventional procedures. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: 216 patients received routine information from the referring physician, while the remaining 214 patients received a consultation with an interventional radiologist and viewed an explanatory video. The researchers then analyzed outcomes using follow-up surveys.

Those in the experimental group demonstrated improved understanding of their procedure and expressed higher satisfaction with both the information provided and the communication experience. They also reported lower anxiety levels, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Nearly all—99.5%—of the patients in this group said the video helped them better comprehend the procedure, and 86.5% stated it reduced their anxiety.

“Following the completion of this study, the explanatory videos initially developed for research purposes have been incorporated into routine clinical practice at our institution,” the authors noted. “In addition, preprocedural consultations are increasingly being held before selected interventions, although their systematic integration into the institution’s daily practice is being progressively evaluated and adapted according to institutional capacities.”