The role of digital subtraction angiography in neuroradiology. An evaluation of intravenous and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography.

A few years after the introduction of intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in clinical practice it became clear that, although the method had been developed as an alternative to arterial angiography, especially for the analysis of cerebral ischemia, its application was not as successful as the earlier reports had indicated. Based on the results of a study comparing intravenous DSA, intra-arterial DSA, and the Doppler examination, in 168 consecutive patients, a diagnostic algorithm for the management of these patients is proposed. A second and more important application of digital subtraction is its use with arterial angiography, especially with a high resolution system configuration.