Radiology Bern: Prof. Dr. rer. physiol. Dr. med. J. T. Heverhagen

Prof. Dr. Rer. Physiol. Dr. med. Johannes T. Heverhagen is a specialist in radiology and director of diagnostic, interventional and pediatric radiology at the Inselspital Bern.

For years Prof. Heverhagen has been involved in the pillars of medicine: medical activity, research, and teaching. This combination of many years of experience and constant search for improvement through patient-oriented research allows Prof. Heverhagen to offer you the entire spectrum of diagnostic, interventional, and pediatric radiology at the highest university level.

Interdisciplinary Competence Team on Your Side

To guarantee you the best possible treatment, the team at the Inselspital radiology department includes not only Prof. Heverhagen (physician and physicist), but also many experienced radiologists, physicists, nursing specialists, and medical-technical radiologists. Interdisciplinarity is a top priority. Your fast and gentle treatment and healing is the stndard and most important goal of Prof. Heverhagen's team.

Thanks to the achievements of science, today's radiology as a link between diagnosis and treatment of all specialized areas can guarantee increasingly precise and gentle procedures for examination and therapy.

Inselspital Bern - State-of-the-Art Medical Technology

Interventional radiology at the Inselspital Bern not only plays a key role in the medical excellence of the medical profession but also takes a leading position in medical technology equipment. Several state-of-the-art CT scanners, and MRI scanners, as well as conventional and digital X-rays, ultrasound equipment, and specialized equipment for mammography, angiography, and emergencies are among the equipment of Prof. Heverhagen's radiology department.

Computed Tomography Scanner with the Latest Photon Counting Technology

In the fall of 2022, one of the world's first CT scanners with state-of-the-art photon-counting technology was put into operation. It can be used to visualize the finest structures and injuries in bones and tissue that were blurred or not visible at all with previous CT technology. At the same time, photon-counting CT uses up to 30 percent less radiation and significantly less contrast agent. This is a significant improvement, especially for younger patients or those at increased risk of kidney damage.

Radiology Bern - A Diversified Range of Services

Whether diagnostic, interventional, or pediatric radiology - the Inselspital Bern offers an extensive range of services in all of these areas. Word of this has also spread to close and distant foreign countries, therefore the Inselspital Bern offers patients traveling from abroad an interpreting service in 10 languages and is happy to assist with visa formalities. 

Excellently trained nursing staff and comfortably equipped rooms ensure a pleasant stay, always focusing on the best treatment and your fastest possible recovery.

Prof. Heverhagen's Treatment Focus 

Prof. Heverhagen, an internationally well-respected expert in radiology, has acquired outstanding specialization in some areas at Radiologie Bern. 

One of Prof. Heverhagen's main areas of expertise is the interventional treatment of malignant tumor diseases. An essential part of this is various embolization techniques such as SIRT and TACE (e.g., in liver cancer without distant metastases). These are radioactive (radiating) particles or

chemotherapy drugs, which are administered into the tumor-supplying vessels to target the tumor directly, and the adverse effects on the rest of the body, are significantly reduced compared to conventional radiation/chemotherapy.

Most Modern Treatment Methods of Interventional Radiology

At Radiologie Bern, the focus is on gentle procedures that specifically treat tumors and leave the surrounding tissue largely unaffected. The most important ones are selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). They are mainly used in the minimally invasive treatment of patients with liver cancer.

SIRT

The SIRT procedure takes advantage of the fact that healthy liver tissue is supplied with blood primarily via the portal vein, whereas tumor tissue uses the hepatic artery, which allows the targeted application of radioactive substances via the hepatic artery where they get transported directly into the tumor - healthy liver tissue is not damaged by radioactive microparticles.

TACE

The TACE procedure is fighting two issues at once. On the one hand, a chemotherapeutic agent is administered into the hepatic artery via an inguinal microcatheter. On the other hand, additional occlusive material is applied to occlude the tumor supplying artery specifically and cuts it off the supply. SIRT and TACE aim to shrink the tumors and inhibit future tumor growth as much as possible.

Myoma Embolization

Prof. Heverhagen can also treat benign diseases in the field of gynecology with the help of modern technology, including the treatment of myomas (benign growths in the uterus) by myoma embolization. In this procedure, the myoma is cut off the blood supply by the controlled clogging of arteries (embolization). The closure material is administered via an inguinal venous catheter. As a result, the tumor can no longer be supplied with nutrients and regresses.

Gastrointestinal Diseases

Another focus of Prof. Heverhagen and his team is the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract. Prof. Heverhagen can examine bile ducts, liver, and stomach (stomach ulcer, irritable stomach, reflux or heartburn) in a routine procedure, remove obstacles (such as gallstones), stop bleeding, and create new drainage paths (e.g., in the case of congested liver vessels to prevent liver cirrhosis).

Liver Cirrhosis

When the most important detoxification organ of our body is damaged by liver cirrhosis, the liver cannot fulfill its function entirely anymore. Complications such as ascites and varicose vein bleeding in the esophagus can occur. Liver biopsy and pressure measurement of the hepatic veins provide information about the degree of the disease. Since the scarring of the liver tissue leads to a narrowing of the vessels, the pressure on the portal vein increases. Prof. Heverhagen can create a bypass circuit by inserting a TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt), which relieves the liver.

Crohn's Disease

The imaging diagnostic procedures are indispensable today to cover all facets of chronic inflammatory bowel disease and to ensure optimal treatment of Crohn's disease. Sectional imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), in particular, provide valuable information on changes in the inner intestinal walls and possible extraintestinal complications that need to be treated.

Lung Cancer

Computed tomography (CT) is an essential method for the early detection of lung cancer. The imaging procedure makes even the tiniest nodules visible that cannot be seen on conventional X-rays, which significantly improves the patient's chances of recovery since early detection is particularly important in the case of lung cancer. The Inselspital Bern has the latest generation of CT scanners with low radiation exposure, which is very gentle on the patient.

Depending on the size of the tumor foci, some patients can be treated with minimally invasive tumor removal by microwave ablation. The procedure offers equal chances of survival to conventional treatment methods - but is gentler on the patient. This procedure is also used to treat pulmonary metastases.

Pulmonary Edema

Sudden acute pulmonary edema is a life-threatening situation that requires immediate measures. Fluid accumulation in the lungs can usually be well-treated. Imaging radiological examinations using X-rays or CT are one of the basic principles of targeted therapy. Treatment is based on the underlying causes of fluid retention.

Tumor-Related Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism is usually caused by thrombosis in the pelvis or leg area. If the blood clot detaches from the vessel wall, it is carried along with the bloodstream to the lungs, where it blocks the pulmonary artery. A tumor causes every other pulmonary embolism because tumors lead to disruption of the blood clotting factors, which in turn favors the formation of thrombosis. Prof. Heverhagen uses imaging techniques such as CT for the reliable diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

Diagnostic Examinations of Vascular Diseases

One of the frequent diagnostic procedures in Prof. Heverhagen's radiology department is examining the entire vascular system (diagnosis and treatment of blood clots or thrombosis) and the lymphatic system. With the help of angiography, Prof. Heverhagen can inspect both the veins and the arteries of our body in detail via various accesses, to carry out pressure measurements and to remove tissue samples.

Special Attention to Small Patients

The radiology Bern, under the direction of Prof. Heverhagen, attaches particular importance to the empathetic treatment of children. A stay in the hospital is initially frightening for most children. Unknown people in white lab coats, possible pain, and unfamiliar equipment contribute to this. For this reason, a specially trained team is available at the Bern radiology department to take care of the youngest children. Children are introduced to examinations and treatment in a playful way and with a lot of patience. The aim is always to take away the child's fear of unknown procedures and equipment. The stay at the Inselspital Bern becomes a stress-free and exciting experience with the help of the child's imagination. Clinical research is of great importance in Prof. Heverhagen's radiology department to make your and all other patients' stay there safe, pleasant, and successful. For example, research is currently being carried out to improve the tolerability of contrast agents in radiology, but also to reduce radiation exposure in computed tomography.

Individual Treatment Concepts and Personal Contact

Despite his involvement in research and teaching, the personal contact with his patients is significant to Prof. Heverhagen. The internationally accepted expert in radiology never looks at the individual clinical picture in isolation, but always at the whole person. He always includes the patient in the planned therapy and discusses all treatment steps in detail. Especially in the treatment of tumors, a trusting and empathetic approach is the basis for a possible cure or improvement of the clinical picture. Therefore, it is a matter of concern to Prof. Heverhagen and his team that the patient always feels in good hands at the Inselspital Bern.

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