Carbon dioxide digital subtraction arteriography.

Arterially injected carbon dioxide coupled with digital subtraction fluoroscopy consistently produced clinically useful images of arteries in 17 patients. Occasionally good parenchymal images and venograms were also obtained. The buoyancy of the gas requires that the area of interest be in a nondependent position to insure good arterial perfusion. The exceedingly low viscosity of gas should permit delivery of the CO2 via microcatheters which would lessen the risk of arterial injury. CO2 does not produce hypersensitivity reactions and, even in large volumes, should not produce the discomfort associated with iodinated contrast material.