Which catheter is typically used for pulmonary arteriography?

• A. 7F Grollman or Berman
• B. 8F Judkins
• C. 6F Cobra
• D. 5F Simmons

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that selective pulmonary arteriography needs a catheter that can be easily advanced from the right heart into the pulmonary artery and stay stable enough to inject contrast into the pulmonary branches. The Grollman or Berman catheter fits this role well because of its curved, gentle shape and flexible tip, which allows reliable cannulation of the pulmonary artery ostia from venous access with minimal trauma. Once positioned in the pulmonary artery, it enables selective injections to visualize the pulmonary vasculature effectively.

Other catheters are designed with curves optimized for coronary arteries or other vessels, so they aren’t as ideal for straightforward pulmonary arteriography. For example, catheters with curves tailored to engage coronary ostia or to navigate the aorta may not align as readily with the pulmonary artery takeoff, making selective pulmonary angiography more challenging or less stable.