481

TECHNICAL NOTES

Vol. 117

Technic al Noles



Modification of a Serial Film Changer for Frontal Magnification Angiography 1 Robert M. Spitzer, M.D., Harold E. Olsson, M.D., and Bernard J. Gibson, R.T.

A movable carriage was designed and built for a Franklin film changer to facilitate routine serial 2X magnification. This simple device permits magnification angiography without ma jor equipment purchases or room alterations. IN DEX TERM :

Angiography, apparatus and equ ipment

Radiology 117: 481 , November 1975

• Frontal magnification requires a special elevating table top in order to achieve the proper subject-to-fum distance. We wish to describe a simple modification of a standard Franklin film changer which facilitates serial frontal magnification without an elevating table top. DESCRIPTION

Our department has three Franklin film changers, one of which is an older unit which has been reconditioned to act as a reserve unit . This changer was removed from its stand and placed on a movable carriage built in the hospital shop (Figs. 1 and 2). The wheel height was adjusted to provide a 50 .8-cm (20-in.) subject-ta-film distance for 2X magnification. When frontal magnification is desired, this standby unit is rolled into place. The unit can easily be returned to its original stand if it is needed to replace one of the routinely used changers.

Catheter Exchange in Tortuous Vessels During Selective Cerebral Angiography 1



Lawrence Goldberger, M.D., Marc N. Coel, M.D., and Folke J. Brahme, M.D. Inability to advance double-curved catheters beyond the origin of tortuou s arch vess els is a common problem in femorocerebral angiography in the aged or hypertensive pat ien t. The authors describe a simple techn ique involving the use of an exchange guide wire and stra ight catheter which has proved to be safe and successful in such Circumstances. INDEX TERMS :

Catheters and Cath eterization. Cerebral Angiography, tech-

nique Radiology 117:481 -482, November 1975





Selective catheterization for femorocerebral angiography is frequently difficult in the elderly or hypertensive patient with a tortuous aortic arch and branch vessels . Double-curved catheters simplify the task of selecting the desired arch ves-

Fig. 1. Movable carriage constructed with a wheel he ight designed for 2X magnification. A tripod arrangement of the wheels facilitates leveling of the changer. Wheel locks reduce changer movement. Fig. 2. The mod ified film changer may be rolled into posi tion as required. ACKNOWLEDGMENT: We wish to express our appreciation to Waiter Ward and Herschel Hotaling for their help in design ing and constructing the carriage . 1

From the Department of Radiology, Rochester General Hospital,

1425 Portland Ave ., Rochester. N. Y. 14 6 2 1. Accepted for publication in July 1975. sjh

sel; however, it Is often impossible to advance the catheter beyond the origin of the vessel due to the shape and sometimes the stiffness of the material. particularly in the left common carotid artery. We wish to describe a technique which overcomes this problem and permits further selective catheterization of the internal or external carotid artery. TECHNIQUE

An appropriately shaped double-curved polyethylene catheter (Fig. 1, A-D) is used to engage the origin of the selected arch vessel. A straight guide wire w ith a floppy tip is introduced to an appropriate level beyond the orifice. If initial attempts to advance the catheter fail , the guide wire is removed and replaced with a 260-cm exchange guide wire 0.089 mm (0 .035 in.) in diameter with a straight floppy tip ,2 following which the double-curved catheter is removed and replaced with a soft straight polyethylene catheter of the same diameter (Fig. 1, E). The soft catheter easily negotiates the course of the guide wire already in place in the selected vessel. A gentle preformed curve at the distal end of the catheter enables further selection of the internal or external carotid artery (Fig. 2).

Modification of a serial film changer for frontal magnification angiography.

A movable carriage was designed and built for a Franklin film changer to facilitate routine serial 2 times magnification. This simple device permits m...
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