What am I looking at?
Visual recognition
Reconstituted tPA vial or syringe instilled into the catheter lumen or lytic infusion circuit.
10-01
Alteplase (tPA) thrombolytic agent
Fibrinolytic agent
Three-panel learning framework
Recognition, context, and distinction
What does it do, and where will I see it?
Use & procedural context
Provides fibrinolytic therapy by converting plasminogen to plasmin and promoting clot dissolution. In IR, alteplase is used for catheter declotting and catheter-directed thrombolysis of dialysis-access, venous, and selected arterial thromboses.
What most clearly distinguishes it from similar devices?
Key distinctions
Alteplase is a thrombolytic medication rather than a mechanical thrombectomy device; it may be infused through a catheter or used to declot an access device when pharmacologic fibrinolysis is intended.