Digital subtraction pulmonary angiography

Digital subtraction pulmonary angiography (DSA) was performed to examine 32 patients with a variety of pulmonary leisons. In 11 patients, results of DSA were compared with conventional pulmonary angiograms. DSA showed main pulmonary arteries excellently and visualized pulmonary arteries as small as the 4th or 5th branches as well as results of conventional angiograms, and it was useful in 29 out of 32 cases to evaluate pulmonary vascular abnormalities. DSA could not always visualize peripheral branches of pulmonary arteries, however conventional angiograms could visualize them much better. Pulmonary parenchymogram in DSA was also useful to evaluate pulmonary perfusion abnormality. (author)