title: The importance of angled right anterior oblique views in improving visualization of the coronary arteries. Part I: Caudocranial view.
abstract: Three hundred patients were examined to determine the value of the caudocranial right anterior oblique view (RAO) in revealing or improving visualization of lesions in the proximal and mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD), the origins of the septal and diagonal arteries, and the distal branches of the right coronary artery (RCA). The proximal and mid-LAD were shown to greater advantage in 80% of cases, the diagonal arteries in nearly 75%, the septal vessels in more than 90%, and the posterior descending and posterolateral branches of the distal RCA in more than 80%; in addition, the cranial RAO view revealed previously unsuspected lesions in 7% of the proximal and mid-LAD arteries and 26% of the septal vessels. In addition to superior visualization, this view gives satisfactory exposure even in extremely large patients and may also be helpful in coronary angioplasty.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013679:Technology, Radiologic