Here, you will find information about important medical advances in interventional radiology -- sometimes called the surgery of the 21st century. Interventional cardiologists / radiologists are specially trained doctors who use X-rays and other imaging techniques to "view" inside the body while they guide narrow tubes (catheters) and other very small instruments through the blood vessels and other pathways of the body to the site of a problem, treating a variety of medical disorders without surgery. Procedures performed by interventional radiologists (IRs) are generally low in cost and less traumatic to the patient, involving smaller incisions, less pain, and shorter hospital stays. The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.