Aortography by radial artery injection in infants with anomalies of the aortic arch.

Aortography by radial artery injection was performed in 22 infants and one child with congenital heart disease. The left radial artery was used in 20 cases and the right radial artery was used in 3 cases. This method visualized the following aortic arch anomalies: coarctation of the aorta in 4 patients, interrupted aortic arch in one, patent ductus arteriosus in 10, patency of the left Blalock-Taussig shunt in one and anomalous origin of the right subclavian artery in one. An injection of the contrast material into the right radial artery in one case failed to visualize coarctation of the aorta, which was confirmed by retrograde catheterization. Retrograde aortography has been necessary for diagnosis of aortic arch anomalies, but it is not so easy to perform and carries a risk of arterial thrombosis. Aortography by radial artery injection is relatively easy to perform, less invasive and has no severe complications. It is concluded that aortography by radial artery injection is a useful method for diagnosis of anomalies of the aortic arch in neonates and children.