Intracranial applications of digital intravenous subtraction angiography.

The intracranial vessels of 175 patients were examined with digital intravenous subtraction angiography. The equipment and the technique of the examination are briefly described. Of these patients, 129 underwent intravenous cerebral angiography in conjunction with examination of the extracranial carotid arteries for suspected arteriosclerotic disease. Postoperative and occasionally preoperative studies of intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations were performed in 16 patients, patency and flow patterns of extracranial-to-intracranial bypass grafts were evaluated in 11 instances, and selected vascular cranial and intracranial neoplasms were studied in 16 cases. Venous sinus occlusion has also been diagnosed by this technique. In many instances, digital intravenous subtraction angiography can replace conventional cerebral angiography.