The government has invested €100,000 in vascular ultrasound equipment aimed to enable physicians to determine which arteries are blocked and which veins can be used for by-pass interventions, the Department of Information said.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne said the government had also invested to train five radiographers in vascular ultrasonography at Masters level.

Professor Kevin Cassar, vascular surgeon, said the equipment will serve to identify more clearly where interventions needed to be made.