BRONCHIAL ARTERIAL ANGIO-CT - EVALUATION OF INTRADURAL AND ESOPHAGEALENHANCEMENT BEFORE BRONCHIAL ARTERIAL INFUSION

Ultrafast CT combined with bronchial angiography (BB angio-CT) demonst rated a supply from the bronchial arteries to the oesophagus and spina l cord which is not identified on conventional bronchial arteriography using a digital subtraction technique 20 with bronchial carcinoma and one with lung metastasis were examined using BA angio-CT, before bron chial artery infusion. 20 mi of non-ionic iodinated contrast medium (3 00 mgI ml(-1)) was injected into the bronchial artery, and ultrafast C T of the whole mediastinum was commenced when 10 ml had been injected. The 6 mm single slice mode was used and 40 images were obtained. Intr adural and oesophageal enhancement was evaluated on BA angio-CT, and c ompared with the findings on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of the bronchial arteries. BE angio-CT clearly showed intradural enhancem ent in eight patients. Marked spinal cord enhancement was demonstrated in three, and a coaxial catheter technique was used to avoid infusing the intercostal branch of the intercostobronchial trunk. Oesophageal enhancement was demonstrated in 18 patients on BA angio-CT. In contras t, no enhancement of these structures was seen on bronchial arterial D SA. In conclusion, BA angio-CT enabled precise evaluation of intradura l and oesophageal enhancement.