ABSTRACT
PERIPHERAL DIAGNOSTIC CATHETERS The design of peripheral diagnostic catheters is similar to that of coronary catheters, and in some cases, coronary diagnostic catheters are used for a wide variety of peripheral angiography. There are also specialty-designed catheters for accessing challenging anatomy such as the carotid arteries and the visceral abdominal vessels. Frequently, a nonselective angiogram is used to visualize anatomic takeoffs of branch vessels, and then more specialized catheters are used to engage for selective diagnostic catheterization. Common peripheral angiographic catheters are described below on the basis of the anatomic location where they are used.
