Is aortography in lower limb ischaemia still abused?

A study in 1980 revealed that 38% of aortograms performed in a series had been referred for inappropriate reasons and only 49% had been clearly indicated. Recommendations were made to reduce the number of inappropriate investigations. An audit has been carried out of the aortography referrals made in this unit recently. This has shown that, despite changes in the management of peripheral vascular disease in the intervening years, by following the recommendations made in the previous paper, the number of inappropriate aortograms has been reduced to a minimum. The recommendations are endorsed.