A NEW TYPE OF EXTRA-LARGE FILM CHANGER FOR SERIAL WHOLE LIMB AORTO-ARTERIOGRAPHY AND ITS CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

To perform efficient arteriography for patients with arterial occlusive dis-ease of the lower limbs, a new system for serial whole-limb arteriography with extra-large-film changer was developed and clinically applied. This system consists of a motor driven cassette-film changer with four pieces of film sized 35.4×106.2 cm per frame, and ancillary fluoroscopic facilities. The source-image distance is 1.6m high to cover a wider field and to minimize radio-graphical blur. The film is 35.4 ×106.2cm, sufficient to cover the pelvis and both legs in average sized Japanese patients. The serial angiographic mode can be timed at 1 frame per 1.5 sec exposures at a shorter range and at 1 frame per 10 sec exposures at a longer range. A intensifying screen and a equalized alminium wedge filter are adopted to obtain an adequate density as uniform as possible in the abdomen down to the calf. Last 2 years, the author performed 67 occasions of Aorto-arteriography for 46 patients with arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs. They were 25 patients with arterioscle-rosis obliterans, 14 patients with thromboangitis obliterans, and 7 patients with other arterial occlusive disease. Excellent results were obtained with our new system in serial whole-limb arteriography.