ABOUT US
Vascular Interventional Radiology Queensland (VIRQ) is a specialist vascular interventional radiology service founded by Australian Radiology Partners.
VIRQ offers leading Queensland Interventional Radiologists who are highly skilled and passionate specialists. Our doctors have worked together in various roles in Vascular and Interventional Radiology for over 25 years, both clinically and academically. We understand that working in a team improves our own skills and knowledge, which leads to improved quality of care for patients.
VIRQ believes a service like this should be available to all patients, not just those in the city. Some patients simply can’t or don’t want to travel to Brisbane to access treatments such as these and we are pleased to be able to also provide this offering to Sunshine Coast and Ipswich residents.
VIRQ commenced operation at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in 2022, and we now practice in Brisbane, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast. Our goal is to expand to other geographic locations across Queensland in the future.
OUR TEAM OF DOCTORS
VIRQ offers leading Queensland Interventional Radiologists who are highly skilled and passionate specialists. Our Interventional Radiologists believe that high quality interventional radiology services should be available to all patients. VIRQ is pleased to be able to provide cutting-edge Interventional Radiology services to improve treatment options across a number of metropolitan and regional hospitals in Queensland.
A/Professor Nicholas Brown - BSc, MBBS (UQ), MPhil (Cantab), MSpMed, FRANZCR, EBIR, MPH (Harvard)
Special Interests
Dr Paul Leschke - BSc, BMed, FRANZCR, EBIR
Special Interests
VIRQ are communicators
VIRQ doctors =experts in interventional radiology, an emerging specialty that is transforming areas of medicine a field of medicine that is often unknown to patients. Patients are often unaware of the possible treatment options available with an interventional radiologyist, or may have little prior knowledge of their condition they are seeking treatment for. Our doctors will help you understand your condition and the treatment options available in an open, honest and respectful way. We also work with your GP and other specialists, keeping them informed of your care.
VIRQ are experts in embolisation
Interventional radiologists are specialists who train in embolisation across all body systems, and all embolisation techniques and materials. VIRQ doctors have extensive experience in public and private hospital settings, both in trauma and outpatient embolisation procedures. Our doctors are leading Australian experts in prostate artery embolisation for treatment of enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia - BPH), radioembolisation for liver cancer, and are actively engaged in research involving embolisation of geniculate arteries for knee arthritis, and embolisation of gastric arteries for weight loss.
VIRQ are researchers
Interventional radiology is innovative by its very nature; over the last 60 years IR has discovered many new treatments, replacing scalpels with catheters. VIRQ doctors carry on this tradition of innovation and curiosity, leading the country in prostate artery embolisation research, with exciting new research in management of osteoarthritis of the knee and bariatrics. See here (links) for our recent research.
VIRQ are collaborators
VIRQ is a collaboration of interventional radiologists, each with particular strengths in clinic practice. Our experts collaborate fully with a range of clinical specialists to deliver the best outcomes for our patients. We believe that collaborating within a team environment like this makes us better doctors, which in turn provides better health care for patients.
About Vascular Interventional Radiology
Vascular and interventional radiology is a radiology subspecialty which utilises image-guidance to perform a variety of minimally invasive, vascular and non-vascular procedures to treat a wide range of diseases. Procedures are performed in specialist suites using ultrasound, fluoroscopy or x-ray, and CT scanning for guidance.
Instead of large incisions required for some open surgeries, these procedures are performed through small incisions, allowing catheters, needles, and other devices to be guided to the treatment site. Examples of such interventions include image-guided biopsies, insertion of venous ports and catheters, and thermal ablation of tumours through heating (microwave ablation), uterine fibroid embolisation(ufe), prostate artery embolisation (pae), and Varicose veins, and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). Read more about our VIRQ procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Interventional radiologists are trained in image-guided, minimally invasive therapies, with most procedures performed through a pin-hole, rather than an incision. Most procedures involve directing a thin wire and a catheter, the size of a strand of spaghetti, through a blood vessel treat the source of pain or disease. Interventional radiology treatments often come with less risk, less pain, shorter recovery times than traditional open surgery, and often doesn’t require a hospital stay.
Radiologists are doctors who have received specialty training in diagnostic imaging; they interpret and report X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI scans. Interventional radiologists undergo the same training as a radiologist, but then undergo further sub-specialist training in minimally invasive, image-guided therapies, treating disease in most body systems.
Many procedures performed by interventional radiologists involve radiation from either X-rays or CT scans. Interventional radiologists undergo extensive training in radiation safety and understand how to mitigate the risks of radiation by following recommended radiation safety guidelines. IRs make it a priority to minimise the amount of radiation to the patient, themselves and other staff in the operating room.
While some procedures are best done with general anaesthetic, most can be performed with local anaesthetic and sedation. When having a procedure under sedation, patients are made comfortable and relaxed, without the physiological strain of a general anaesthetic. If you have any questions about this, you can discuss it with our case manager at the time of booking, or during your clinic appoint with your interventional radiologist.
Interventional radiologists at VIRQ practice modern, coordinated clinical care, in collaboration with your other doctors to ensure you receive the best quality care. We are able to manage your treatment through the course of your care - before, during and after your treatment.