Intravenous digital subtraction angiography in the investigation of intracranial disease.

Eighty-six patients who presented with a variety of intracranial lesions were examined with intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IV-DSA). A grading system was used to evaluate the ability of IV-DSA to answer specific diagnostic questions regarding intracranial tumors, vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage, lesions of the sella, dural sinus occlusion, and post-therapeutic embolization. Eighty-four per cent of the examinations provided clinically useful information. In 15% of the cases limited but useful information was obtained; only 1% of the examinations provided no useful information. We conclude that IV-DSA can routinely provide useful information in the evaluation of the variety of intracranial lesions described above.