[Role of interventional radiology in mass casualty incidents : Current state of evidence exemplified by the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market].

A mass casualty incident (MCI) poses exceptional organizational and medical challenges to healthcare systems as a large number of severely injured patients must be treated within a very short time frame using limited resources. In addition to prehospital triage, emergency surgical care and intensive care management, interventional radiology (IR) is gaining in importance. Through minimally invasive, image-guided procedures, IR enables rapid and targeted hemorrhage control, particularly in cases of pelvic fractures, parenchymal organ injuries and traumatic vascular lesions. Key techniques include transarterial embolization and endovascular vascular reconstruction. In the context of an MCI, interventional radiology provides substantial advantages in terms of organ preservation, reduction of surgical interventions and efficient resource utilization and serves as a complementary partner in emergency care. At the same time its application is subject to clear limitations as it requires a highly specialized infrastructure, experienced personnel and strict prioritization. Early integration of IR into trauma bay algorithms, disaster response plans, and interdisciplinary command structures is therefore essential. The article discusses organizational aspects and the current state of evidence as exemplified by the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market on 20 December 2024.