Angiography

Angiography

What is angiography?

Angiography is a diagnostic procedure that involves injecting a special dye into the bloodstream to enhance the visibility of arteries on X-ray images.

When is angiography used?

Angiography is frequently employed to assess the condition of blood vessels. While alternative imaging techniques such as CT scans, MRI scans, nuclear scans, and ultrasound scans offer accurate and valuable information for many arteries, coronary angiography remains indispensable for evaluating heart arteries with utmost reliability.

Angiography serves various purposes:

- Providing a clear visual representation of blood vessels for surgical planning.

- Identifying aneurysms, which are abnormal bulges in artery walls.

- Evaluating the carotid artery and its branches in the neck and head to investigate cerebral bleeds or determine blood flow to tumors.

- Assessing coronary arteries for narrowing, especially important for heart health.

- Examining arteries in the legs, kidneys, and aorta, the body's largest artery.

- Localizing abnormalities in the liver, such as tumors, aiding in surgical planning.

How is angiography performed?

Prior to X-ray imaging, a contrast dye is injected into the bloodstream through a catheter inserted into a suitable artery, typically in the groin or arm. The procedure involves:

- Numbing the area with a local anesthetic before catheter insertion.

- Carefully guiding a thin wire and catheter into the artery using fluoroscopy (X-ray imaging).

- Injecting the dye through the catheter to visualize blood vessels on a screen or series of X-ray images.

Is angiography risky?

- A small percentage of patients may be allergic to the contrast dye, particularly due to its iodine content.

- There is a slight risk of catheter-related injury to blood vessels.

- Angiography poses a minimal risk of complications such as stroke or heart attack, albeit very rare.

- Cerebral angiography carries a small but notable risk of serious adverse effects.

- Pregnant women should discuss potential risks of X-ray exposure with their healthcare provider.

- Patients with severe liver, heart, or kidney conditions should seek specialized advice.

- The risk of harmful radiation exposure from X-rays is minimal, as modern machines are optimized to produce high-quality images with minimal radiation dose.