Cerebral angiography

Cerebral angiography or arteriography is a form of medical imagingthat visualises the arterialand venoussupply of the brain. It was pioneered by Dr Egas Monizin 1927, and is now the gold standardfor detecting vascular problems of the brain.

Method

Any form of angiographyinvolves the passing of a catheterinto a large artery (e.g. the femoral artery) and advancing this catheter through the carotid artery. When this has been achieved, some contrast agentis injected, and a rapid series of radiographs is taken while this radiopaque fluid passes through the vasculature. Another series, taken when the contrast agent has passed through the tissues, visualises the venous supply.

Uses

Most vascular abnormalities of the brain, e.g. arteriovenous malformationsand aneurysms, can be detected on cerebral angiography.

In some countries, cerebral angiography is required to confirm brain death.

Interventions

One of the advantages of angiography over alternative techniques (e.g. magnetic resonance angiography/MRA) is the possibility of performing interventions. Aneurysms, in particular, may be amenable to the angiographic insertion of metal coils, which lead to connective tissueformation and the obliteration of the aneurysm.

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral+angiography Wikipedia article Cerebral angiography.