[Selective spinal arteriography in vertebral and paravertebral disease processes (author's transl)].

Selective arteriography was performed on 15 patients with vertebral and paravertebral diseases. This procedure is particularly justified if the bone changes are of possible vascular origin, if the presence of arterial involvement by neoplasm is to be determined, or if one wishes to judge the extent of intraspinal or paravertebral spread of a spinal tumour. Up to a point, angiography may indicate the histology and malignancy of a mass. In the diagnosis of vertebral and paravertebral disease, selective spinal arteriography would come into competition with computed tomography. Either procedure should only be used if conventional methods are incapable of solving the diagnostic problem.