It was at OHSU that Dr. Melvin Judkins developed the transfemoral technique for selective coronary arteriography. This technique, introduced in the mid 1960's, has since been used worldwide. Judkins also developed the "Cobra" catheter at OHSU. Dr. Vincent Hinck developed catheters for femorocerebral angiography at OHSU in the late 1960's.

Dr. Josef Rösch, a colleague of Dr. Dotter since 1967, developed the technique of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in 1968. He also introduced embolic treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding and popularized transjugular liver biopsy in the early 1970's. Since the early 1980's Dr. Rösch has worked together with associates on the development of expandable metallic stents and their multiple uses. He was also a co-developer of the technique for selective fallopian tube catheterization, introduced at OHSU in the mid 1980's.

The Departments roots can be traced the early 1980s, to discussions between Dr. Dotter and Mr. William Cook, President of Cook Group. They were concerned about the future of interventional radiology and the need for high quality interventional training for all interested radiologists and other physicians, technologists and nurses. Mr. Cook continued these discussions with Dr. Rösch in the mid and late 1980's at various interventional meetings. In April 1989, Mr. Cook took action. At the 25th anniversary of Dotter's first transluminal angioplasty and after a meeting with Dr. Peter Kohler, president of OHSU, Mr. Cook announced the donation of 2 million dollars to establish an interventional institute as a multidisciplinary center directed toward education, research and patient care in interventional treatment.