Angiography and MR-Angiography in the diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusive disease in diabetic patients

: An invasive diagnostic procedure as angiography which involves direct arterial injection of contrast through suitable catheters, is still considered the gold standard in the evaluation of diabetic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The accuracy of anatomical details is combined on angiography with a pan view, indispensable for correct therapeutic planning. MR-angiography, with the 2D time of flight sequences in particular, supplies images of great anatomical accuracy and very sensitive in the detection of occlusive lesions which compare well with angiography and superior in the assessment of the length of occluded tracts. This noninvasive, cost-effective procedure seems bound to replace angiography in the pretreatment evaluation of diabetic patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.