Embolization in Interventional Radiology

Embolization, also known as intentional occlusion of vessels, remains a salvage measure in various emergent conditions. The aim of therapeutic embolization should be selective to occlude the target vascular pathologies while simultaneously avoiding the non-target vessels to minimize complications. Expendability of a vessel is critical to deciding the safest embolization approach. Pre-procedural imaging, mainly CT angiogram, aids in procedural planning and reduces radiation exposure during embolization procedures. Furthermore, detailed knowledge of anatomy, vascular pathology, and different embolic agents is imperative for successful embolization. This chapter entails basic principles and different embolization strategies, including various embolic agents.