Radiographic techniques for balloon-occlusion pulmonary angiography

Pulmonary angiography was performed in 125 patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. Standard angiographic techniques were combined with balloon occlusion of pulmonary arterial branches using a double lumen catheter and contrast material injection distal to the occlusion. Vessel opacification was fluoroscopically monitored and images obtained with either a conventional cut-film camera, a spot-film camera, or cineangiography. Balloon-occlusion angiography improved image quality and contributed substantially to the radiographic diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in most patients. The technique is useful in patients too ill to undergo conventional angiography and may be performed at the bedside.