Final answer:
Roadmapping DSA is a specialized angiographic technique for guiding catheters through complex vessels by overlaying real-time images onto pre-obtained contrast-enhanced vessel maps.
Step-by-step explanation:
The angiographic image post-processing technique that facilitates the navigation of a guide wire through tortuous vessels is known as
roadmapping DSA
(Digital Subtraction Angiography).
Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is a type of fluoroscopy technique used in interventional radiology to clearly visualize blood vessels in a bony or dense soft tissue environment. Images are obtained using contrast media, which opacifies the vessels, making them visible on the angiographic image. The method involves subtracting a "pre-contrast image" or mask from subsequent images taken after contrast injection, thus highlighting the blood vessels' presence and course over the background tissues. Roadmapping DSA refers to the specific application of this technique where live fluoroscopic images are used in conjunction with previously obtained contrast-enhanced images. This approach helps in navigating devices, such as guide wires or catheters, through complex vasculature by providing real-time guidance overlaid on the detailed roadmap of the vessel's internal structure, which is critical during endovascular procedures.