Section for Interventional Radiology--sIRcro 10 years of existence and organised activities (2000-2010).

Shortly after the Roentgen's discovery (1895), X-rays were applied for depicting vascular system (Lindenthal and Haschek 1896). But it took rather long time before another brilliant idea (Seldinger 1953) for percutaneous puncture and catheterization of superficial artery was developed instead of these previously performed and the surgical arteriotomy. The percutaneous puncture enabled another idea to emerge, i.e. percutaneous transluminal angioplasty--PTA (Dotter/Judkins 1964). Thus it was proved that catheter could be used not only in diagnostics but also in therapy, and the method was applied to other organs and organic systems. The application of interventional radiology in Croatia started in late 1970s and early 1980s. The number and type of procedures increased rapidly in the four largest hospitals and educational centres (Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek), so that the need was felt to establish a Section for Interventional Radiology of the Croatian Society of Radiology (2000).