The IR Juniors Podcast

As endovascular techniques have evolved, boundaries betweenspecialties have shifted. The relationship between IR and vascular surgery has become central to delivering safe, high-quality patient care. While there has sometimes been a perception of competition between the two specialties, modelsof close collaboration are being developed that benefit trainees and, most importantly, patients.
 
In this insightful discussion we welcome not one, but twospecial guests!
 
Dr Narayanan Thulasidasan (interventional radiology) and MsBecky Sandford (vascular surgery) are based in Guys and St Thomas’s Trust in London, and join us to share their insights into the importance of communication and building a culture of collaboration between the two specialities.

Dr Ato Quansah is a consultant IR from the Komfo AnokyeTeaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Dr Quansah trained in Ghana and gained additional interventional experience internationally in the Netherlands and the UK.

Upon his return to Ghana, he began establishing an interventional radiology service in his hospital from the ground-up. He encountered numerous challenges including equipment shortages, training staff and keeping costs low for patients.

He joins us to share his journey into IR and the creative solutions he utilised to establish and maintain his practice. He also discusses his work with the medical imaging organisation Worldwide Radiology.

Dr Teik Choon See is a consultant IR based in Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge. Dr See has been a consultant IR for nearly two decades and has worked across the hepatobiliary, vascular and interventional oncology space.
 
In this wide-ranging discussion, Dr See shares his journey into IR, and how this led him to become interested in histotripsy – a new and exciting non-invasive, radiation-free, and incision-free procedure that uses focused ultrasound waves to destroy tumours.
 
Most recently, he led the team that delivered the first histotripsy treatment in Europe outside of a clinical trial. We’re very lucky to have him share his insights about this exciting new development in the field of cancer care.

Dr. Yuji Okuno is an Interventional Radiologist based in Tokyo, Japan, and the founder of Okuno Clinics - network of centers dedicated to innovative embolic treatments for chronic pain.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Okuno shares how his deep interest in pathological angiogenesis led to the development of the “Okuno Method,” a novel technique that uses temporary embolic agents to selectively target inflammatory blood vessels. He reflects on his early clinical observations, the translational science that underpins his work, and the decade-long journey to establish a robust evidence base for musculoskeletal embolization.
Dr. Okuno also discusses the significant regulatory, academic, and business challenges he faced while launching and expanding his clinic franchise. His story is one of persistence, creativity, and a steadfast commitment to innovation in patient care.
He offers thoughtful advice to young interventional radiologists looking to push boundaries and create new pathways within the specialty.
This is an inspiring episode for anyone interested in how original ideas, grounded in science and clinical need, can lead to transformative change in healthcare.

Dr. Alex Barnacle is a Consultant Pediatric Interventional Radiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the national clinical lead for the first-ever Get It Right First Time review of IR in England.
She shares her journey from pediatrics into interventional radiology, reflects on the biggest challenges facing the specialty today, and gives an honest look into life at one of the world’s most iconic children’s hospitals.
She also tackles the gender gap in IR and why visibility, mentorship, and allyship matter more than ever.