[The application of digital subtraction angiography in patients with peripheral arterial insufficiency and suspicion of stenosis/occlusion of the superficial femoral artery: intravenous or intra-arterial?].

36 patients with clinical signs of lower limb ischaemia and suspected stenosis/occlusion of the superficial femoral artery were investigated prospectively and randomly by either intravenous (i.v.) or intraarterial (i.a.) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) to evaluate which of the two modalities might be chosen as a routine examination. In 4 patients from the i.v. group a supplementary i.a. examination had to be performed due to insufficient visualisation of the crural arteries, caused by long occlusions of the femoropopliteal segment.