Digital subtraction angiography of the thoracic aorta.

Abstract

Patients (43) with acquired and congenital abnormalities of the thoracic aorta were studied using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) after an i.v. bolus injection of 40 ml of contrast material. Abnormalities studied included coarctation, pseudocoarctation, Marfan syndrome, cervical aorta, double aortic arch, aneurysm, dissection and tumor. A total of 24 patients also had conventional angiography. DSA was accurate in 95% of cases. In the other 5%, involving patients with acute type I dissection, the coronary arteries could not be seen. Apparently, in 92% of observed cases, DSA could have replaced the standard aortogram.