Digital subtraction angiography in cerebrovascular diseases. Correlation of DSA with clinical findings.
Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in 100 patients with cerebrovascular diseases. The results of angiographic examination were compared with clinical findings on admission to and on discharge from hospital. The statistical evaluation was made on computers. Processing of anamnestic data revealed in the patients a large number of risk factors and other diseases, on average 3.68 per man and 3.96 per woman. 71% of the patients were examined on account of a relapse of some cerebrovascular disease. No relationship was found between the degree of the neurological deficit and clinical units on the angiographic finding. Clinically assumed arterial stenosis or occlusion was confirmed by DSA in 44.4%. On the other hand, in 57.9% of 38 affected subjects a stenotizing or obliterating process of the extracranial portion of the internal carotid was diagnosed in the absence of previous clinical suspicion. Of 76 patients with arteriosclerotic change in 56.6% the extracranial portion of the internal carotid was affected, incl. its bifurcation. Of 38 patients with stenosis or occlusion in 36.8% the affection was bilateral. Nine patients were indicated for operation, in another four endarterectomy of the internal carotid was done previously. DSA is a very useful examination method in patients with arteriosclerotic changes of the cerebral and cerebellar arteries. The risk for patients is, as compared with classical angiography, reduced while the obtained information on anatomical changes of the arterial wall is sufficient.