Complications Following Cerebral Angiography

CEREBRAL angiography is an invaluable diagnostic method which has now been widely accepted. In certain vascular lesions the information thus afforded is not equaled by any other means; both the location and the nature of tumors are often disclosed with exactness. The introduction of the percutaneous method by Egas Moniz,19Loman and Myerson,18Turnbull,25Shimidzu,23and others has greatly extended its usefulness. The surgery of intracranial aneurysms has been furthered enormously. However, the enthusiastic reports dealing with its applicability have not always been tempered by that caution which is bred of remorse. It is to emphasize the dangers believed inherent in angiography and to suggest some contraindication to its use that this paper is written. METHOD AND MATERIAL A series of 234 consecutive carotid angiographies, performed upon 200 patients between 1947 and 1952, have been reviewed. In each instance the solution employed was 35% iodopyracet (Diodrast).