PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - N Tomura
AU  - M Hashimoto
AU  - R Sashi
AU  - H Hirano
AU  - M Kobayashi
AU  - Y Hirano
AU  - K Satoh
AU  - J Watarai
AU  - M Kowada
TI  - Superselective angio-CT of brain tumors.
DP  - 1996 Jun 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1073--1080
VI  - 17
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/17/6/1073.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/17/6/1073.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1996 Jun 01; 17
AB  - PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of superselective angio-CT in the diagnosis of astrocytoma.METHODS Nineteen patients with astrocytoma had superselective angio-CT before chemotherapeutic agents were administered via superselective intraarterial infusion. CT was performed after contrast material was delivered through a microcatheter, which had been advanced into the feeding arteries of the tumor. Superselective angio-CT scans were compared with digital subtraction angiograms, conventional contrast-enhanced CT scans, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images.RESULTS Superselective angio-CT scans depicted contrast enhancement of the tumor in all of the patients and the medullary veins of the tumors in 32% of the patients. Digital subtraction angiograms showed tumor stains in 68% of the patients and the medullary veins in only 5%. Conventional CT scans and MR images showed contrast enhancement of the tumor in 89% of the patients. Superselective angio-CT scans confirmed the proper position of the catheter tip for the infusion of a chemotherapeutic agent.CONCLUSIONS Superselective angio-CT can be used to depict contrast enhancement of tumors and the vascular structures that are characteristic of astrocytomas.