Urology practice joins growing number of peers hiring interventional radiologists

A urology practice is joining a growing number of peers hiring interventional radiologists to better serve their patients. 

Urology of Virginia recently announced the opening of its “state of the art” new IR department. The Virginia Beach-based practice said the move marks a “milestone” in its commitment to bringing new treatment options to its patients. 

With the hiring of Yi Yang, MD, MPH, a board-certified diagnostic and interventional radiologist, the practice will offer embolization for those with benign prostatic hyperplasia. 

"The launch of our interventional radiology department is an exciting step forward in our mission to deliver cutting-edge, patient-centered care," Joshua Langston, MD, managing partner and CEO at Urology of Virginia, said in a statement. "Patients now have access to the latest minimally invasive techniques to address their urological needs in a way that is both efficient and effective."

Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) involves a radiologist inserting a thin catheter into an artery in the groin or wrist using imaging guidance. It’s then directed to the arteries that supply blood to the prostate, with an IR injecting particles to reduce blood flow, shrink the gland and relieve symptoms. 

Practices have seen growing interest in PAE since the American Urological Association updated its guidelines in 2023 to recommend PAE. Multiple urology groups have added their own IR services since, including Central Ohio Urology Group, Urology of Indiana, and the Michigan Institute of Urology.

“I do believe this is going to be a trend,” Mitchell B. Hollander, MD, CEO of the Michigan group, told Radiology Business at the time. “This is something that no one has really done in the past: urologists partnering with interventional radiologists. But when you look at it more closely, it makes sense.”

Several urology practices have launched services in partnership with interventional radiology groups such as Prostate Centers USA. Others such as Urology of Virginia are starting from scratch by hiring their own radiologists. 

“By combining the expertise of both specialties, we aim to provide our patients with the highest level of treatment tailored to their specific conditions,” UOV said in the announcement.

Prostate Centers USA is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operates a network of locations across several states. Under terms of their agreement with the Michigan Institute of Urology, PCU manages the center and handles the billing. Hollander labeled the arrangement as a “managed services agreement,” with MIU paying PCU a management fee.

IR specialist Sandeep Bagla, MD, founder and CEO of Prostate Centers USA, also sees radiology-urology integration as a growing trend. His company has multiple such collaborations with urology groups.

“The impetus for starting this collaborative relationship is based on the foundation that patients who typically go see urologists don't get offered this type of minimally invasive option because they don't have interventional radiology in their practice,” Bagla said at the time. 

Meanwhile, as PAE has grown in popularity, some radiologists have reported problems obtaining reimbursement. Michael Ginsburg, MD, an IR who practices in South Bend, Indiana, recently shared frustrations on social media after Cigna declined to cover PAE.