Malaysian Society of Interventional Radiology (MYSIR)

Interventional radiology began with the development of x-ray technology in the early 20th century. A breakthrough in imaging of the vessels came in 1929, when Werner Forssmann, a surgical resident in Germany, put a catheter into his own antecubital vein, advanced it, and took x-rays of himself to prove the catheter was in the right atrium. During the 1930's and 40's the medical fraternity recognized his work and began using catheters to measure cardiac output and to introduce drugs into the heart

In 1953, Sven-Ivar Seldinger described a percutaneous femoral technique where a catheter over a guidewire was advanced through the skin and into the femoral artery. This today is known as the “Seldinger technique” and is used globally by all interventional radiologists for vascular access in interventional radiology procedures (1).

Interventional radiology arrived at the Malaysian shores in 1968 when University Hospital, Petaling Jaya obtained its first diagnostic angiography, made available by the Technical Assistance Programme of the Colombo Plan. The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific was conceived at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in January 1950 as a cooperative venture for the economic and social advancement of the peoples of South and Southeast Asia.

The initial procedures were pneumoencephalograms, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiograms (PTC), translumbar aortograms and once the Seldinger technique was developed, cardiac and other angiograms were performed. Dr Joginder Singh and Dr Ah-Hoo Ang were the early pioneers of the interventional work.

Vision:
To be the renowned national body in image guided intervention.

Mission:
To be the primary national body in the development of interventional radiology and to provide excellent healthcare, research and teaching to enhance the standard of medical practice in Malaysia.