Angiography

When you speak of an x-ray, most of us think of bone X-rays. An angiography is a special type of medical procedure where the X-ray is taken to image our blood vessels. The medical practitioner will seek an angiography to diagnose any blockages or blood vessel problems. Interventional radiologists will do the X-ray exam of arteries and veins.

In an angiography, a liquid dye is injected into the blood vessels in order to make them visible on X-rays. The procedure involves:

• The surrounding area is numbed with a local anesthetic before a catheter is inserted into an artery.
• With the help of X-ray images, a short, thin wire with a rounded tip is then carefully inserted into the artery using a needle. The needle will be guided to the spot in the body where the dye is needed.
• The needle is removed and replaced with a vascular sheath inserted around the wire. A catheter may then be inserted along the guide wire.
• When the catheter is in the correct position, the wire is pulled out and special dye is inserted through the catheter.

Once the dye is inserted, the blood vessels are easily visible to the doctor on a screen or on a series of X-rays.

When do you need an Angiography?

During the procedure, the patient may experience a warm sensation for a few seconds. Though it may be painless, why would one undergo an angiography?

An angiogram is normally sought by a doctor to check on the condition of blood vessels. This may be due to various reasons. This may include:

• An aneurysm can be easily revealed in an angiography. The doctor is able to see any bulge on the artery caused by blood vessel walls becoming weaker.
• When considering any surgery, a doctor may use the procedure to give him a clear picture of the blood vessels. This is especially common when planning a surgery. The angiography may be able to localize any abnormalities including tumors.
• If a doctor wishes to figure out how much coronary artery have narrowed, an angiography is one of the procedures used.
• The procedure may be used to figure out if an operation is necessary or possible. For example, if one is considering removing a tumor, it may be necessary to identify the blood supply to the tumor.

What are the Risks in an Angiography?

All medical procedures carry inherent risks or complications. Even though an angiography is a simple procedure, it still carries with it a measure of risk, which your medical practitioner is best suited to inform you. Some of the more common risks include:

• An allergic reaction to the liquid dye may be experienced by some. Iodine is normally used as the dye and if you have had previous adverse reaction to it, you should inform your doctor.
• When doing any type of X-ray screening, a pregnant woman should seek advice from the doctor on possible harm or side effects to their baby.
• If the medical practitioner is not careful, there is a risk of damaging the blood vessels during the procedure.
• You should be especially careful when considering cerebral angiography since it carries a small but significant risk.

The risks in an angiography are very low especially with modern X-ray technology. The procedure is also slowly being replaced by more advanced procedures such as MRI’s.

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