Cerebral angiography or arteriography is a form of medical imaging that visualises the arterial and venous supply of the brain. It was pioneered by Dr Egas Moniz in 1927, and is now the gold standard for detecting vascular problems of the brain.

Method

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Any form of angiography involves the passing of a catheter into a large artery (e.g. the femoral artery) and advancing this catheter through the carotid artery. When this has been achieved, some contrast agent is injected, and a rapid series of radiographs is taken while this radiopaque fluid passes through the vasculature. Another series, taken when the contrast agent has passed through the tissues, visualises the venous supply.

Uses

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Most vascular abnormalities of the brain, e.g. arteriovenous malformations and aneurysms, can be detected on cerebral angiography.

In some countries, cerebral angiography is required to confirm brain death.

Interventions

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One of the advantages of angiography over alternative techniques (e.g. magnetic resonance angiography/MRA) is the possibility of performing interventions. Aneurysms, in particular, may be amenable to the angiographic insertion of metal coils, which lead to connective tissue formation and the obliteration of the aneurysm.

Radiology | Neurosurgery | Medical imaging | Neuroimaging