Synchrotron radiation and its application to digital subtraction angiography

The intense synchrotron radiation produced at electron storage rings provides a new source of X-rays highly suited to iodine K-edge digital subtraction angiography. The high intensity and small angular divergence permit the radiation to be monochromatized by Bragg diffraction and made available in beams of small vertical size, of arbitrary horizontal width, and of tunable energy. The use of such beams provides maximum sensitivity to intra-arterial iodine and virtually eliminates image contrast due to non-vascular body structures. The sensitivity of this method to iodine offers the prospect of visualizing arteries by peripheral venous injection.