Interventional Radiology has been around for about 70 years. A new era in medicine began with a Swedish doctor, Sven-Ivar Seldinger who pioneered the Seldinger technique. Interventional Radiology became part of medical practice in 1953.
Cardiac interventional radiography requires extensive training in both interventional and radiology techniques. Cardiac interventional radiolography enables medical professionals to look inside the heart and vessels and treat conditions using the most minimally invasive procedures possible.
How do you get your Post Primary Certification in Cardiac Interventional Radiography?
Keep reading to find out!
What Is Cardiac Interventional Radiography?
Interventional radiography uses medical imaging techniques to both diagnose and treat problems with both lymph and blood vessels, whereas cardiac interventional radiography focuses specifically on the heart.
Cardiac interventional technologists use sophisticated fluoroscopic equipment. They use this equipment to capture dynamic images of the heart and the blood vessels that surround it. They may, at times, assist with procedures such as stenting, thrombolysis, embolization, biopsies, and angioplasty. Small instruments and precise image-guided procedures help with diagnoses leading to treatment of these disorders. These procedures can also have a huge role in saving a person’s life.
Adults and children are patients in interventional labs and special care is taken to use the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable), especially with children. ALARA means even if it’s a small dose, if there is no benefit, it should be avoided.
How To Get Certified in Cardiac Interventional Radiography
ARRT® stands for American Registry of Radiologic Technologists®. It’s the leading credentialing organization that recognizes qualified individuals in interventional procedures, radiation therapy, and medical imaging.
If you are a radiologic technologist, you must take a mandatory amount of structure education hours in specific ARRT® categories within your continuing education to qualify you to sit for the boards.
Procedures Required for Certification
In addition take taking mandatory structure education hours candidates for cardiac interventional certification must have documented performances for AT LEAST 150 repetitions of cardiac interventional radiography procedures.
These procedures must be documented, verified, and submitted.
For some of those mandatory procedures, candidates have to complete at least 10 right heart catheterizations. Each heart catheterization has to include at least 2 studies from the following list:
- Hemoximetry
- Shunt detection
- Valve measurement
- Right ventriculography
- Pulmonary angiography
- Hemodynamics
- Cardiac output calculations
In addition to 10 RIGHT heart catheterizations, candidates have to complete a total of 60 LEFT heart catheterizations. Each one must also include at least 2 studies from the following list:
- Aortography
- Hemodynamics
- Coronary angiography
- Coronary artery bypass graft angiography
- Left ventriculography
- Ventricular volume measurement/ejection fraction
For both right and left heart catheterizations, candidates must complete up to 80 additional catheterizations. They will be counted towards your elective procedures.
At least 80 of those elective procedures have to be documented. But there must be variety in both the procedures and the patients. Each documented procedure can only be documented one time for each patient.
In order to be considered as a candidate, you must already be certified and registered in a supporting category. Be sure to visit ARRT® for more specific information on the clinical experience requirements.
The Benefits of Cardiac Interventional Technology
The whole purpose of cardiac interventional radiology is for procedures to be as minimally invasive as possible with the least amount of sedation or anesthesia necessary to safely and comfortably perform the procedure successfully. Many procedures don’t even warrant a hospital stay.
Typically, patients have shorter recovery times and no scars or minimal scarring. Because these treatments are image-guided, they are extremely precise.
Cost of Certification
Costs for continuing education to become a cardiac interventional technologist vary.
Check out some of the combo courses that we offer. The courses are valid in every state, so you don’t have to worry about issues should you move to another state.
Once you become a cardiac interventional technologists, you will be on your way to earning a great salary. Plus, you’ll be inspired and driven, knowing that you’re performing such an essential and caring job.
Cardiac Interventional Radiography Is an Exciting Profession
While it may seem daunting to acquire your certification for cardiac interventional radiography, some programs can be completed faster than others. You can satisfy part of your 24-hour radiology continuing education with the required structured education. Plus, much of your experience may count towards your certification so you’ll at least be making a full-time salary while you complete your courses.
The job itself is both rewarding and admirable as you will spend your entire career, helping others.
If you opt for online continuing education courses, you can complete your course work in the comfort of your own home, and at your convenience.
After you’ve completed a course, you can even complete your testing online.
Check out the radiology courses that we offer and get started.
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