[Late complication of angiography - thorotrastoma causing pharyngeal phlegmon]

Carotid angiography with the use of thorium dioxide for brain tumour diagnosis has been performed in a woman 35 years ago. In the course of angiography thorium dioxide penetrated into the paravascular space with subsequent development of "thorothrustoma" the clinical symptoms of which progressed for years (compression of neck organs and nerves, gradual disturbance of swallowing). As a result of compression a decubitus ulcer and phlegmona of the pharyngeal wall developed. Late diagnosis of the phlegmona and its inadequate treatment resulted in aspiration pneumonia which was a direct cause of the patients death.