Digital subtraction angiography of the extremities using table translation

Area of Science:

• Vascular Imaging
• Radiology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a standard imaging technique for extremities.
• Conventional DSA methods, using intravenous or intraarterial contrast injections, have limitations including site specificity, contrast load, and time consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a novel bolus-chase DSA technique.
• To assess if bolus-chase DSA can image two contiguous regions with a single contrast injection.
• To compare the efficiency and contrast load of bolus-chase DSA with conventional DSA for lower-extremity imaging.

Main Methods:

• A feasibility study was conducted using bolus-chase DSA.
• Forty-five examinations were performed: 13 intravenous and 32 intraarterial.
• The technique involved table translation and imaging of two contiguous regions after a single contrast material injection.

Main Results:

• Twelve intravenous and 16 intraarterial DSA examinations were deemed totally satisfactory.
• Inadequate studies were primarily due to slow contrast clearance in the distal calf and operator error.
• Bolus-chase DSA enabled faster anatomic studies of lower-extremity vessels compared to conventional DSA.

Conclusions:

• Bolus-chase DSA is a feasible technique for lower-extremity vascular imaging.
• The method allows for reduced contrast material loads and improved examination speed.
• Further optimization may be needed to address challenges related to distal contrast clearance and operator technique.