Demonstration of Pedal Arterial Arcades in Occlusive Arteriosclerotic Disease

Conventional arteriography, intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and intravenous DSA were used in the evaluation of the patency of the pedal arterial arcades in 15 patients with advanced peripheral arteriosclerotic disease. Intraarterial DSA was found to be superior to conventional arteriography. In 12 of 15 patients, excellent or good results were achieved by intraarterial DSA compared with 5 or 15 patients examined by conventional arteriography. All intravenous DSA studies performed in 6 patients were classified as poor.

Digital Subtraction Angiography in Takayasu Arteritis

The usefulness and limitation of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in Takayasu arteritis were investigated in 32 patients. Intravenous DSA was particularly useful in the follow-up of patients with an established diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. Pulmonary arterial involvement could also be demonstrated with intravenous DSA as obstructive arterial changes and lack of accumulation of contrast medium in the pulmonary parenchyma. Detailed information concerning the site and extent of vascular involvement and development of collateral vessels were obtained with intraarterial DSA. Thickening of the thoracic aortic wall, however, could not be recognized with either intravenous or intraarterial DSA. Conventional angiography of the descending thoracic aorta is still required as an initial examination, particularly when there is no aortic arch involvement. However, there is no doubt that DSA has the potential to become the diagnostic procedure of choice in Takayasu arteritis.