Renovascular hypertension and digital subtraction analysis.

Abstract

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a good imaging modality for the renal arteries and their main branches. Using an anterior-posterior beam direction, a considerable reduction in X-ray exposition is achieved, and by taking 3 runs with the patient in prone position, the renal arteries are adequately visualized in a high percentage. Nevertheless we advocate arterial DSA as a screening procedure for renovascular hypertension, especially in younger patients, because of the higher diagnostic output and the possibility of taking therapeutic action in the same session in about 1 out of 3 patients.