Stent in diseased artery. False-colour angiogram of the upper legs of an 81 year old man, showing severe peripheral arterial disease affecting his left leg (right on image). An artificial stent is visible in this limb, acting as a by-pass around a blocked femoral artery. The diseased artery is immediately to the right of the stent, appearing pinched & beaded. A catheter, through which radio-opaque contrast medium is introduced, is visible in the right leg (left on image). Peripheral arterial disease due to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries") tends to occur after middle age; cigarette smoking is the major risk factor. Compare with P206/054 et seq, which shows the relatively normal appearance of the aorta & iliac arteries in an abdominal angiogram."