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At Â鶹¸ßÇå, the Program for Intelligent Image-Guided Interventions (PI³) is molding the future of diagnosing and treating complex conditions by bringing together a team of experts in multiple specialties. PI³ sees and treats your complex conditions using 21st-century technology combined with a caring, respectful healthcare team.

Our Approach

Modern surgical techniques allow surgeons to operate through small incisions. Still, we have taken it one step further by integrating 3D models of your anatomy to deliver a more tailored and precise plan for your needs, often avoiding surgery altogether. Our team is among the leaders in developing this for clinical use. This model helps surgeons and interventional radiologists plan and execute complex procedures with greater precision. Our advanced imaging technology allows us to see and diagnose diseases at earlier stages and apply the latest and most modern therapies.

Treatment Tailored to You

Before developing your treatment plan, we approach your diagnosis through the efforts of a multidisciplinary team. One unique aspect of this method is that your diagnostic journey involves one or more imaging exams, such as CT or MRI, that are processed into a 3D model. 

Your care team can see the exact structure of the treated area, including blood vessels, tissues and organs. When appropriate, the team can place these images directly over the patient during procedures using augmented reality (AR), leading to a safer outcome and quicker recovery. Thanks to this focused strategy, our team can offer new treatment techniques available in very few medical centers around the country. 

Your Team of Experts

The multidisciplinary team at PI³ is on a mission to revolutionize medicine through forward-thinking and advanced technologies. Members of the team include:

• Colorectal surgeons
• Interventional radiologists
• experts who work to use artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data systems to accelerate our imaging and treatment capabilities

Conditions We Treat Using Our Methods

At PI³, we use novel image-guided approaches to treat several health conditions, including:

• Tumors (cancers and precancerous growths). Tumors within the body cavities (chest, abdomen and pelvis) are nearly always diagnosed and treated in concert with imaging tests, such as CT scans, ultrasound and MRI, and placing scopes inside the body. Diagnosis usually requires a biopsy, where a PI³ provider removes a small sample of cells for analysis using image guidance. While it is often difficult to locate suspicious areas when using conventional methods, our experts use image-guided approaches to locate these areas and retrieve tissue samples for laboratory evaluation, perform excisional biopsies or ablation to remove or destroy abnormal masses or promote further treatment planning.
• Small and large bowel obstruction. Blockages in the small and large intestines can prevent food from passing properly, causing severe pain, bloating, vomiting and constipation. These blockages often result from adhesions, hernias, strictures or tumors. At PI³, our experts use a novel combination of endoscopic and interventional approaches to relieve obstructions. Using tiny cameras placed inside the GI tract, the provider reaches the blockage and expands a small balloon to widen the narrowed area.
• Abscesses. An abscess is a collection of pus that forms due to infection, commonly occurring in the abdomen or around the intestines. Symptoms may include fever, pain and swelling. Our team can drain abscesses using image-guided procedures, such as percutaneous drainage, which places a small tube to remove infection and promote healing. In more complex cases, we may combine interventional techniques with novel surgical methods to ensure complete resolution and prevent recurrence.
• Stoma creation and management. Some patients require a stoma—an opening in the abdomen that allows waste to exit the body—due to an underlying serious intestinal disease such as cancer or infection, or injury. Stomas may be temporary or permanent. At PI³, we specialize in optimizing stoma function and addressing complications such as retractions, strictures and skin irritation. Our team provides personalized guidance on stoma care to enhance quality of life and prevent complications.
• Hybrid procedures. PI³ bridges the gap between interventional radiology and surgery, offering innovative hybrid procedures that reduce the need for major operations collaborating with other specialties, such as gastroenterology and gynecologic oncology. These latest techniques allow for precise, minimally invasive treatment of complex GI conditions, improving recovery times and reducing hospital stays.

Enhancing Future Care With Data-Driven Insights

PI³ team members carefully collect patient data and enter it into a unique program called ImagineHIVE (High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment). Using this program permits analysis of images, application of AI to our procedural data and creation of 3D segmentations, all leading to optimal outcomes for our patients.

Using ImagineHIVE, our PI³ team learns to perform various tasks that improve our efficiency.

Currently, ImagineHIVE helps us:

• Develop new ways to use endoscopes and other tools 
• Facilitate clinical research studies
• Modify treatment plans to best meet an individual patient’s needs
• Predict medical trends and issues with greater confidence

Our Leadership

A group of renowned experts leads the Â鶹¸ßÇå PI³ team, guiding the program toward the next frontier of care. 

• Dr. Jeffrey W. Milsom, Colon and Rectal Surgery
• Dr. Bradley B. Pua, Vascular and Interventional Radiology
• , professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Population Health Sciences

Patient Resources

What to Expect

Before Your Procedure

You’ll receive specific instructions on how to prepare for your procedure, including any dietary changes and medication adjustments. As part of your pre-operative consultation, the team will review your condition and the planned approach, including how 3D imaging and other technologies will guide your treatment.

During Your Procedure

Your procedure will be performed by a team of specialists from both interventional radiology and surgery, ensuring a coordinated and efficient approach. Your care team will use advanced imaging techniques to guide the procedure, ensuring precision and reducing the risk of complications.

After Your Procedure

You’ll receive detailed instructions on post-procedure care, including how to manage any drains or incisions and what signs of complications to watch for. Our team will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your recovery and address any questions or concerns.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Here are some items to bring to your appointment:

• Copies of your medical history, related imaging reports, and/or lab reports if you have them
• List of any medications that you may be taking and their dosages
• Your insurance information and card(s) (i.e., HMO, Medicare, Medicaid)
• A list of any questions you may have for your doctor

If you are insured under a managed care plan, before your appointment:

• Confirm that the physician you will be seeing is a participating provider in your plan, and obtain any prior authorization, if required.
• Confirm that any service you will receive is covered under your plan, and obtain any prior authorization, if required.
• Obtain any necessary referral authorization from your primary care physician before seeing a specialist.
• Be prepared to pay your co-payment at the time of service.

If you do not have insurance or the doctor you are seeing does not participate in your insurance plan, please be prepared to pay at the time of service.