Coronary angiography

Coronary Angiography

Coronary angiography (pronunciation: /kəˈrɒnəri ændʒiˈɒɡrəfi/) is a medical procedure used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. This is traditionally done by injecting a radio-opaque contrast agent into the blood vessel and imaging using X-ray based techniques such as fluoroscopy.

Etymology

The term "Coronary angiography" comes from the Greek words koronè meaning crown, angeion meaning vessel, and graphein meaning to write or record.

Procedure

The procedure involves the insertion of a catheter, a thin flexible tube, into a blood vessel. The catheter is then threaded through the blood vessel into the heart. A contrast dye is then injected into the coronary arteries, and X-ray images are taken. The procedure allows doctors to identify any blockages or narrowing in the coronary arteries.

Related Terms

Cardiac catheterization: A procedure used to diagnose and treat certain cardiovascular conditions. During cardiac catheterization, a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery or vein in your groin, neck or arm and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart.
Coronary arteries: The vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the heart muscle.
Fluoroscopy: A type of medical imaging that shows a continuous X-ray image on a monitor, much like an X-ray movie.
Contrast agent: A substance used to increase the contrast of structures or fluids within the body in medical imaging.

Risks

Like all medical procedures, coronary angiography has some risks. These include allergic reactions to the contrast dye, damage to the blood vessels, irregular heart rhythms, and, in rare cases, heart attack or stroke.