Radial Artery Diameter and Vasodilatory Properties After Transradial Coronary Angiography

The radial artery diameter is diminished one year after transradial coronary angiography while vasodilatory properties are preserved. The preserved vasodilatory capacity could favorably influence the suitability of the artery as bypass graft. However, with the long-term structural changes induced by transradial angiography, use of a catheter-exposed radial artery as a conduit in coronary artery revascularization should not be strongly recommended. With ultrasound, both structure and vasodilatory properties of a catheterization-exposed radial artery may be assessed in case the artery is considered as bypass material.