Language
Country/Area
No result found
Beyond imaging technology: Why does cerebral angiography provide the best vascular clarity?
As a specialized imaging technique, cerebral angiography can clearly present the condition of blood vessels in and around the brain, thereby helping doctors diagnose various possible vascular abnormalities, such as arteriovenous aneurysms and vascular malformations. Since Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz first invented this technology at the University of Lisbon in 1927, cerebral angiography has gradually become an indispensable part of modern neurology.
Cerebral angiography provides critical information about blood flow and structure through the insertion of a catheter and contrast agent, allowing doctors to obtain higher image clarity.
The basic principle of this technique is to insert a catheter into a large artery (such as the femoral artery), which is then guided to the carotid artery and a contrast agent is injected. As the contrast agent spreads through the brain's arterial system, doctors take a series of x-rays and then take a series of images of the brain's venous system. Compared with noninvasive methods such as computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), cerebral angiography often provides better clarity of the vascular lumen and vascular structure. This allows cerebral angiography to provide immediate diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases.
Clinical Uses
Cerebral angiography is not only used for diagnosis, but often also for treatment during the same procedure. This technology is capable of imaging a variety of intracranial or extracranial diseases. Intracranial diseases include non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracranial aneurysm, stroke, etc.; while extracranial diseases include subclavian artery deprivation, carotid artery stenosis, etc. For some conditions, cerebral angiography is a standard procedure to detect intracranial aneurysms and assess the feasibility of endovascular embolization. It should be noted that this examination is not suitable in certain cases, such as contrast agent allergy and renal insufficiency.
Before performing a cerebral angiography, the doctor will conduct a detailed medical history and neurological examination, and review relevant imaging and blood test reports to ensure that the patient's health is suitable for the procedure.
Detailed preparation before surgery and sound examination procedures improve the safety and success rate of cerebral angiography.
Imaging technology and process steps
During angiography, the right femoral artery is usually chosen to enter the body. If the femoral artery is not suitable, entry from the brachial artery can also be considered. This process requires a professional medical team to ensure that the catheter enters the target blood vessel correctly. The images were acquired using digital subtraction angiography, which significantly improved the clarity of the images. It has been reported that the use of overlapping imaging techniques can further reduce the risk of vascular injury and improve the accuracy of catheter manipulation.
In imaging technology, the progress of digital subtraction angiography has brought the display of cerebral blood vessels to an unprecedented standard.
Postoperative Care and Risks
After cerebral angiography, postoperative care of the patient is equally critical. The medical team needs to closely observe the condition of the puncture site and promptly deal with possible complications such as bleeding or hematoma. In addition, a neurological evaluation is performed to confirm whether the patient has developed new neurologic deficits.
Even though cerebral angiography is a mature procedure, as with all medical procedures, risks remain, and the great challenge is how to prevent these potential complications.
History and Future Outlook
Since Egas Moniz first performed angiography on the brain in 1927, this technology has undergone tremendous development and has become an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. With the advancement of medical imaging technology, we are increasingly able to analyze the condition of blood vessels clearly and accurately. In the future, how to further improve image quality and reduce patient discomfort during examinations will be a new challenge brewing in the medical community.
With the rapid development of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and advanced image processing technology, cerebral angiography is expected to become safer and more efficient in the future. This makes us wonder, in what form will medical imaging in the future decorate human life and open a new chapter in the road to health?
