Pediatric Angiography

Abstract

Angiography of the cerebral and visceral arterial systems is performed much less frequently than it was before the advent of computed tomographic scanning (CT). Most institutions have experienced at least a 50% reduction in the number of angiograms performed since installing a CT scanner. However, angiography still plays an important role in the confirmation of diagnoses made using a scanner, and in providing valuable information to the surgeon prior to excision of tumors or the repair of traumatized organs. Recently a number of sophisticated therapeutic procedures requiring vascular catheterization and the injection of contrast agents have been developed. In these procedures catheters are selectively placed in blood vessels perfusing a pathological process, such as an arteriovenous malformation, or at the site of an arterial stenosis; embolization of the arteriovenous malformation or tumor, or dilatation of the stenotic segment, is then performed.