A new catheter suitable for selective angiography, embolization, and controlled infusion of chemotherapeutic agents is described. The catheter is made from a composite construction of polyethylene; it is graded in shaft thickness and outer diameter from a 2.7-F tip to a 3-F (1.0-mm) proximal section. Use of the catheter with a 0.018-inch or smaller steerable guide wire facilitates placement of the catheter in distal tortuous vessels. The catheter enabled successful completion of 20 of the 22 intracranial and extracranial intervention procedures (11 patients) in which it was used.