Cath Lab of the Future: angioplasty, stents, robots and more

A half century ago, Dr. Mason Sones, working in his cath lab, discovered that he could inject contrast dye selectively into the coronary arteries. His discovery revealed in great detail the anatomic nature of coronary artery disease and, within a very short time, led to the treatments of both bypass graft surgery and angioplasty. Along with Dr. Melvin Judkins, Sones founded an organization dedicated to excellence in imaging and diagnosis of heart disease: the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). This month, SCAI has published a paper forecasting what the cath lab of the future might look like. The paper, titled "The Catheterization Laboratory and Interventional Vascular Suite of the Future: Anticipating Innovations in Design and Function," appears in the current issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. It features predictions on the future of these medical spaces, including advances in technology and design as well as changes in function, staffing and economics