Interventional Radiology

What is Interventional Radiology?

Interventional Radiology is a therapeutic and diagnostic specialty of radiology. Interventional Radiologists use imaging guided procedures to diagnose and treat patients. Minimally invasive techniques are used in order to minimize patient risk, pain and recovery time in comparison to surgery.

Referring a Patient

A completed Inpatient/ Outpatient Vascular and Interventional Radiology requisition form must be completed by a physician for patients to be referred for Interventional Radiology at Mackenzie Health. 

Please ensure the requisition form includes the referring physician’s information and signature, patient information and patient’s clinical history.

To obtain a copy of the Inpatient/ Outpatient Vascular and Interventional Radiology requisition form, visit the referral and consent forms page. Physician offices can fax a patient’s Inpatient/ Outpatient Vascular and Interventional Radiology requisition form to 905-883-0772.

How do I receive my appointment date and time?

Please allow three to five business days for a completed requisition form to be reviewed and processed by Mackenzie Health.

A clinician from Mackenzie Health will contact your referring physician’s office to advise:

• Appointment date, time and location
• Arrival time
• Associated preparation instructions for the test

If you receive a voicemail from the Scheduling Office, please call 905-883-1212 ext. 2004 from Richmond Hill or 905-417-2000 ext. 2004 from Vaughan to complete the pre-registration process.

You can also log in to MyChart to view appointment dates/times, confirm your upcoming appointments and complete the pre-registration process using the eCheck-In service.

Online convenience with MyChart

What will I have online access to?
If you sign up for MyChart, you will have online access to:

• Check in online 7 days prior to your next appointment using our eCheck-In* service
• View past and upcoming appointments
• View preparation instructions for upcoming appointments
• Complete pre-visit questionnaires*
• Cancel appointments*
• Update your demographics at any time (includes address, phone number, family physician, and more)
• View lab and test results
• View and share Diagnostic images including x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI scans and more
• Clinical notes on your care and treatment
• Track your health*
• Access your list of conditions or medical concerns diagnosed at Mackenzie Health as well as your prescribed medications and known allergies

*Available for select clinics

You can register for MyChart when scheduling an appointment or you can sign up online at mychart.mackenziehealth.ca.

How do I prepare for an Interventional Radiology appointment?

At the time of booking, patients will be advised by their referring physician’s office on their arrival time.

• A reminder, Mackenzie Health is a scent-free environment

Please follow any preparations provided by your referring physician.

• Bring your valid health card
• Please, notify your physician if you have any allergies or take blood thinning medication.
• Intervention Radiology procedures require preparation and recovery steps, this may include having blood work taken, insertion of an intravenous and changing into a hospital gown. Note, recovery time is dependent on the type of treatment or procedure you receive and can take up to two hours.
• Patients are advised to not drive 24 hours after being given sedation and we recommend patients pre-arrange a ride home with a family member.

How long does an Interventional Radiology test take?

Depending on the type of test, the procedure may take from 30 to 90 minutes. The preparation and recovery time may take several hours. You can expect to be here for approximately four hours. You will be notified in advance if you are having a procedure that requires an overnight stay.

What do I do when I arrive at the hospital?

For appointments at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital:

• Patients may park in the visitors parking lot, located north of the hospital, and enter through the D-wing entrance near the Emergency Department. Click here for more information on parking services.
• Please allow yourself extra time during peak hours, as finding parking can take longer than expected. If possible, consider taking public transit, or getting dropped off by a family member or friend.
• Check in at Patient Registration located on the second level of the C-wing using our self-serve kiosks.

Map to Patient Registration:

How do I reschedule my appointment?

Please provide 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. You can cancel your appointments online using MyChart but will need to reschedule by calling the Interventional Radiology Department at 905-883-1212 ext. 3280 from Richmond Hill or 905-417-2000 ext. 3280 From Vaughan.

Are you looking for a CD copy of your images?

Mackenzie Health has partnered with PocketHealth to give patients online access to view and share their images from our hospital and other participating organizations at a reduced fee.  This includes x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI scans and other medical imaging results.

Log in to your MyChart account to access this and additional features including eCheck-In, lab and test results, preparation instructions for upcoming appointments and more!

What are the benefits to accessing my images online?

By accessing your images online, you can:

• Save time as there’s no need to visit the hospital to obtain a CD
• Save money on parking and reduced fees
• Share your images online directly with your requesting physician
• View images from our and other participating hospitals and x-ray clinics

To learn more, please visit the MyChart FAQs section of our website.

How do I sign up?

Log in to your MyChart Account, visit the Test Results page and follow the link to our partner site, PocketHealth.  From there, you can access your images in three easy steps:

1. Enter your patient information, including name, date of birth and health card number
2. Consent to the terms and conditions of the services being provided
3. Complete a secure payment of $5

Can I come to the hospital and pick up my images in person?

You can request a CD copy of your health records from Health Information Services at Mackenzie Health for a small fee. Please visit our Health Information Services page for more information.