[Mesentericography: role of intra-arterial DSA in acute occlusive disease]

This study was carried out to evaluate the intra-arterial DSA method for diagnosis of occlusions of the mesenteric vessels. DSA examination in 24 patients (sup. mes. a.n = 24, inf. mes. a.n = 2) demonstrated that image quality was diagnostic in 84%, i.e. contrasting of mesenteric artery including the peripheral branches, when 10 ml of the contrast medium was injected selectively. In 63% of examinations the mesenteric venous return could be documented. Causes of DSA failure were image artefacts due to reduced patient's cooperation and bowel motion. Otherwise the obvious advantage of i.a. DSA was an immediate diagnostic imaging in patients with severe occlusive vascular disease using a manual administration of only small volumes of contrast material.