The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, or SCAI, is the primary professional association for invasive and interventional cardiologists, physicians who diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease and congenital and structural heart conditions through catheter-based procedures, such as angioplasty and stenting. Members of SCAI are among the world's foremost authorities on cardiovascular disease and its treatment.

Through membership in SCAI, invasive and interventional cardiologists continue to advance patient care through the development of standards and best-practice guidelines and through ongoing professional education and training. 

Membership in SCAI includes approximately 4,000 invasive/interventional cardiologists in approximately 70 nations. Highly experienced members who have met performance standards established by SCAI and have garnered excellent peer recommendations can achieve the status of FSCAI, which stands for Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. To achieve the prestigious status of Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, candidates undergo a review of credentials that must include letters of recommendation, board certification in interventional cardiology or five years of experience post-training with more than 1,000 procedures performed (375 for pediatric).

The FSCAI designation provides validation helpful to patients as they choose an interventional cardiologist.

SCAI works to promote excellence in invasive and interventional cardiovascular medicine through:

• Physician education and representation

• The advancement of quality and safety standards and guidelines for all aspects of cardiac catheterization and angiography to enhance patient care.

SCAI was founded in 1978 under the guidance of Drs. F. Mason Sones and Melvin P. Judkins, pioneering medical scientists whose contributions permitted the development and implementation of invasive cardiology and who foresaw the need for an organization to advance the discipline. 

Larry S. Dean, M.D., FSCAI, serves as the 2010-11 president of SCAI.

SCAI is sponsoring this Web site as part of a public education initiative designed to inform patients and their families, as well as referring physicians, about cardiovascular disease and its treatments.     

SCAI undertook its public education initiative with its own resources, as well as support from Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific Corporation, Cordis Corporation, and Medtronic CardioVascular. The Society gratefully acknowledges this support, while taking sole responsibility for all content developed and disseminated through this effort.