Seldinger’s revolutionary non-invasive percutaneous approach to the vascular
system opened up a totally new medical fi eld. Innumerable new technical methods,
newly designed catheters, sophisticated new endovascular devices and novel materials
have been developed during the past decades. Radiologists have played a major role in
laboratory research as well as in the application of endovascular therapy in the clinical
environment. Interventional radiology has thus contributed enormously to strengthening
the position of the radiologist as a member of the clinical team responsible for
the management of patients in our modern hospitals. A volume presenting the current
knowledge in this expanding fi eld was therefore sorely needed in the Medical Radiology
series.