Endovascular specialist Dr. Christopher Beck demonstrates how to do the Barbeau Test, a quick way to determine if a patient is a candidate for radial access. Radial access has become increasingly popular with interventional radiology procedures and is particularly helpful with certain patient populations who may have femoral arteries which are difficult to access because of atherosclerotic disease, body habitus or existing groin infection. The Barbeau Test is an important technique to assess patency of the radiopalmar arch. Understanding the patient’s circulation will aid in the decision making process of choosing the appropriate access site for the procedure.
