Melvin Judkins (1922-1978) was a physician known for the development of pre-shaped catheters for the catheterisation of coronary arteries. He received his M.D. from the College of Medical Evangelists. Upon graduation he spent a year at Loma Linda Hospital. He was then commissioned by the Army during WWII and served in the 28th General Hospital in Osaka, Japan.
Judkins at the age of 40 studied radiology at the University of Oregon under Dr. Charles Dotter known today as the father of interventional radiology. He continued his studies at the Cleveland Clinic under Dr. Mason Sones who pioneered coronary angiography. Later he studied in Sweden under Dr. Sven Seldinger. It was in Sweden he developed the pre-shaped catheters that could be introduced in the aorta without a need of a cut down of the brachial artery. He brought these new techniques back to the University of Oregon in 1966. Upon his return he further developed the Judkins' catheter. He published his technique in Radiology in 1967 and by 1968, his pre-shaped catheters were commercially produced.
In 1969, he became the Chairman of Radiology at Loma Linda and also the director of the cardiovascular laboratories from 1970-1978, during which time his lab was frequented by physicians from all over the world. Judkins retired in 1978 after suffering a stroke.
