Current status and issues of palliative medicine. From the aspect of interventional radiology (IR)

Though various IRs can be used for the palliative care in patients with pains, but they are not well recognized in general and are not fully utilized. On the other hand, understanding IR is not easy for the general public, because the knowledge of body anatomy and radiographic images must be needed to understand IR. So, the support by specialists who are familiar with radiology is indispensable to introduce and explain IR to patients and physicians of other fields. Typical IRs which can relief the patients' pain and the points should be noted in understanding and explaining were described. (author)