Abstract
Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examinations of major aortic branch vessels traditionally have been performed with aortic injections of dilute contrast material (70 - ISO mg I/mL) over approximately 2 seconds. This study examines a technique employing rapid boluses of undiluted contrast material (282-300 mg I/mL) in small volumes and compares the quality of the images to those obtained using conventional methods. Twenty intraaortic DSA angiograms of the renal arteries were performed in 10 patients. In each patient, both compact bolus and conventional injections were performed. Injections of 12 or IS mL of diatrizoate meglumine-60% at 30 mL/second (duration = 0.4 or 0.5 seconds) were compared with injections of 24 or 30 mL of diatrizoate meglumine-30% at 12 mL/second (duration = 2 seconds). Aside from injection technique and image projection, no other variables were altered, and the iodine loads were the same for the two injections in each patient. The images were paired and rated by four radiologists without knowledge of the technical parameters. The radiologists overwhelmingly preferred the images corresponding to the compact bolus technique (Chi-square analysis P <.001). Visualization of the main renal arteries and the intrarenal branches was improved (P <.001 for both). A reduction in misregistration artifact is suggested but not statistically significant. We conclude that image quality in nonselective, intra-arterial DSA can be improved without an increase in iodine dosage by the rapid administration of undiluted contrast material in small volumes.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 277-281 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Investigative Radiology |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1989 |
Keywords
- Angiography
- Digital subtraction angiography
- Images
- Quality
- Technology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging