Radiology Practice Test 2025 - Free Radiology Practice Questions and Study Guide

The term "catheterization" in interventional radiology specifically refers to the insertion of a catheter into a vessel or cavity. This procedure is a fundamental aspect of various interventional radiology techniques, where access to the vascular system or other bodily cavities is required to diagnose or treat medical conditions.

Catheters are thin, flexible tubes that can be introduced into the body through a small incision or puncture. Once in place, they allow for the delivery of contrast agents for imaging studies, the administration of medications, or the removal of fluids. This versatility makes catheterization a crucial tool in the field.

In contrast, other options describe different procedures or techniques. The removal of fluids from a cavity is not specifically catheterization; rather, it may involve therapeutic processes such as drainage. The use of MRI relates more to imaging practices than to the act of catheterization, and the injection of medications directly into a joint is a specific therapeutic injection that does not broadly encompass the definition of catheterization as it is commonly used in interventional radiology.