Introduction The safety of diagnostic cerebral angiography, a commonly used procedure, has been a topic of ongoing discussion in the medical community. While the procedure is invaluable for diagnosing a variety of cerebral conditions, concerns about its safety persist, particularly regarding the risk of ischemia.

Aim of Study This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the safety of diagnostic cerebral angiography by an experienced physician.

Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 300 consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic cerebral angiography. All procedures were performed by the same experienced physician using the same technique. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted within 24 hours post-angiography.

Results Post-angiography, diffusion-weighted MRI identified 22 bright lesions (median 1.3 lesions per patient) in 17 patients, indicative of embolic events. Importantly, no new neurological deficits were observed following any angiographic procedure. The frequency of lesions in diagnostic angiography was significantly higher in male patients and those with a history of cervical and intracranial atherosclerosis. The frequency of lesions correlated also with fluoroscopy time.

Conclusion The incidence of silent embolism is significantly lower than that reported in the existing literature proving that the cerebral angiography is a safe diagnostic method in an optimal setting and experienced hands.

Disclosure of Interest no.