Genicular Artery Embolization: Embolic Material and Imaging Review

Rouzbahani, Maedeh MD
Husnain, Ali MD
Badar, Wali MD
Ahmed, Osman MD

¹Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologic Research Center (ADIR), Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
²Department of Radiology, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
³Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
⁴Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Address for correspondence Osman Ahmed, MD, Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC2026, Chicago, IL 60611 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Seminars in Interventional Radiology 41(3):p 246-251, June 2024. | DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1788029

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a degenerative condition impacting numerous individuals globally. Genicular artery embolization (GAE) has emerged as an effective minimally invasive therapy for managing medically refractory OA-related pain in patients who are not eligible for surgery. This intervention works by disrupting the inflammatory and neoangiogenic pathways that contribute to pain. The efficacy of GAE has been demonstrated in various clinical trials, yielding promising results. This review aims to explore recent advancements in the embolic materials used during GAE, examining their properties and potential benefits. Additionally, it will describe the use of pre-, intra-, and postprocedural imaging—particularly magnetic resonance imaging and other modalities—to optimize GAE outcomes.