Limb muscle compression: an alternative technique for intravenous digital subtraction angiography

A simple, muscle-compression technique to introduce a bolus of contrast medium from hand or foot injections for intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is described. Fifty millilitres of the non-ionic contrast medium iopamidol 300 was used for each projection. In 18 out of the 20 examinations an acceptably diagnostic arteriogram was obtained. It is suggested that the compression technique is a useful alternative for intravenous DSA when conventional venous access is impossible.