Origin Its founding is usually traced to January 16, 1964, when radiologist Charles Dotter performed the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty on a patient in Portland, Oregon, treating a narrowed leg artery with a catheter rather than open surgery; the technique's demonstrated therapeutic value over the following two decades established interventional radiology as its own specialty.
Interventional radiology is a medical specialty that performs minimally invasive, image-guided procedures using fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasound and MRI, such as angioplasty, embolization and image-guided biopsy, largely in place of open surgery. It developed out of diagnostic radiology as catheter-based techniques proved therapeutic rather than only diagnostic, and is a distinct board-recognized specialty from general diagnostic radiology. This atlas records what the historical record supports and is not medical advice.
Facts
Origin PeriodSourced to the subject's own accountIts founding is usually traced to January 16, 1964, when radiologist Charles Dotter performed the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty on a patient in Portland, Oregon, treating a narrowed leg artery with a catheter rather than open surgery; the technique's demonstrated therapeutic value over the following two decades established interventional radiology as its own specialty. 1 Connections
Sources
1. Interventional Radiology (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section
Interventional radiology (IR) is a medical specialty that performs various minimally-invasive procedures using medical imaging guidance, such as x-ray fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound.
Lead paragraph, first sentence (no live History section on this article as of 2026-09-07)
Interventional radiology (IR) is a medical specialty that performs various minimally-invasive procedures using medical imaging guidance, such as x-ray fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound.
View the Source Frequently Asked Questions
When did interventional radiology begin as its own specialty?
Its founding is usually traced to January 16 1964 when Charles Dotter performed the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.
Interventional radiology's founding is usually traced to January 16 1964 when radiologist Charles Dotter performed a percutaneous peripheral vascular revascularization procedure on patient Laura Shaw now recognized as the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The specialty grew out of diagnostic radiology as catheter-based techniques proved they could treat disease directly rather than only image it and interventional radiology is now a distinct board-recognized specialty separate from general diagnostic radiology.
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