Intravenous digital subtraction angiography of the internal jugular veins.

92 patients with various head-related symptoms were underwent study with IV-DSA. The width and density of the internal jugular veins were compared with the width and density of the common carotid arteries. The right internal jugular vein was more than twice as broad as the common carotid artery in 58 patients (63%), and was denser than the common carotid artery in 14 patients (15%). On the other hand, the left internal jugular vein was broader than the common carotid artery in 76 patients (83%) and more than twice as broad as the common carotid artery in 19 patients (21%). However, the left jugular vein was narrower than the common carotid artery in 12 patients (13%), and in 5 patients (5%) could not be demonstrated. If it is recalled that the internal jugular veins are sometimes congenitally aplastic or hypoplastic as developmental variations of the confluence of sinuses, the occurrence of complications associated with retrograde catheterization can be minimized.