Gates Vascular Institute

Cardiac Services
Diagnostic Coronary Angiography

What is Angiography?

Angiography is a common diagnostic test used to measure the flow and pressure of blood in the chambers of the heart and determines if the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle are blocked or narrowed.

How Angiography is Performed

During angiography, cardiac catheterization is performed to allow dye to be injected through the veins and/or into the heart's chambers. This procedure causes areas where blood flows to temporarily darken and create a contrast with surrounding tissue to ensure that images can be created with X-rays (called an angiogram). The movement of the dye through the heart and coronary arteries is recorded as an angiogram and viewed on a television monitor.

What to Expect

Many patients experience a warm sensation throughout their body when the dye is injected. Sometimes the patient is asked to cough vigorously.

If any chest discomfort is experienced during the test, the medical team should be alerted. The procedure may take one to two hours, but preparation and recovery will take an additional two to four hours.

Is Angiography Safe?

Angiography is a safe test and the dye used will cause no harm. Patients should drink plenty of water following the procedure to help rid the body of the dye.

In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the dye. Tell the doctor before the test of any allergies to iodine, shellfish or strawberries.

Procedure Options

Angiography procedures can be performed through the wrist (radial approach) or the more traditional groin (femoral approach) method. Radial angiography allows patients increased mobility after the procedure with a lower risk of bleeding and other complications. Patients can be discharged about two hours after a diagnostic procedure and can ambulate within minutes after a radial angiogram. 

The following physicians perform these procedures: