What Is a Coronary Angiogram?

Medically Reviewed on7/20/2021
Coronary angiogram is an angiogram (an X-ray image of blood vessels filled with contrast material) used to diagnose coronary artery disease responsible for heart attacks, strokes, angina, and other coronary artery diseases. Coronary angiogram assists the physician in diagnosing and recommending treatment for coronary artery disease.
Coronary angiogram is an angiogram (an X-ray image of blood vessels filled with contrast material) used to diagnose coronary artery disease responsible for heart attacks, strokes, angina, and other coronary artery diseases. Coronary angiogram assists the physician in diagnosing and recommending treatment for coronary artery disease.

An angiogram is an X-ray image of blood vessels after they are filled with a contrast material. An angiogram of theheart, a coronary angiogram, is the "gold standard" for the evaluation of冠状动脉疾病(CAD).冠状动脉造影可以用来确定the exact location and severity of CAD.

How is a coronary angiogram performed?

Coronary angiographyis performed with the use of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation, and is generally not significantly uncomfortable.

  • In performing a coronary angiogram, a doctor inserts a small catheter (a thin hollow tube with a diameter of 2-3 mm) through the skin into an artery in either the groin or the arm.
  • 指导与the assistance of a fluoroscope (a special X-ray viewing instrument), the catheter is then advanced to the opening of the coronary arteries (the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart).
  • Next, a small amount of radiographic contrast (a solution containingiodine, which is easily visualized with X-ray images) is injected into each coronary artery. The images that are produced are called the angiogram.
  • The procedure takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
  • After the procedure, the catheter is removed and the artery in the leg or arm is either sutured, "sealed," or treated with manual compression to prevent bleeding.
  • Often, if anangioplastyorstent is indicated, it will be performed as part of the same procedure.

What can be seen or diagnosed during a coronary angiogram?

Angiographic images accurately reveal the extent and severity of all coronary artery blockages. For patients with severeanginaorheart attack(myocardial infarction), or those who have markedly abnormal noninvasive tests for CAD (such asstresstests), the angiogram also helps the doctor select the optimal treatment. Treatments may then include medications,balloon angioplasty, coronary stenting, atherectomy ("roto-rooter"), orcoronary artery bypasssurgery.

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Medically Reviewed on7/20/2021
References
Medically reviewed by Robert J. Bryg, MD; Board Certified Internal Medicine with subspecialty in Cardiovascular Disease

REFERENCE:

"Quantitative coronary angiography: Clinical applications"
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