[The clinical importance of angiography in the diagnosis of periarteritis nodosa].

Report on a 53 years old patient with renal failure. Angiography showed multiple micro-aneurysms in kidneys and liver, in some instances also in the pancreatic, duodenal and mesenterial arteries. Muscle biopsy confirmed the suspicion of arteriitis nodosa. Clinically the diagnosis of necrotizing arteriitis is difficult. Angiography settles the diagnosis, but only positive findings of micro-aneurysms prove it. The differential diagnosis is discussed and illustrated.