Angiography - MedFriendly.com

Angiograms are also used to assess changes in blood vessels caused by tumors (tissues that grow more

rapidly than normal) and damage to organs. By assessing the changes in the blood vessels, the doctor

can determine the extent of disease and plan treatment based on the results of the assessment.

Other conditions that angiographies are used to diagnose are heart attacks, stroke (a burst artery or a

blockage of an artery in the brain), kidney tumors, narrowing of the renal artery (a pair of arteries in the

kidneys), and increased blood pressure in the portal vein. The portal vein is a large vein that carries blood

from the stomach, intestine, and spleen to the liver. The intestine is a tube shaped structure that is part of

the digestive tract. The spleen is an organ that helps fight infection and removes and destroys worn-out

red blood cells.

HOW IS AN ANGIOGRAPHY PERFORMED?

First, the skin and tissues around a blood vessel (artery or vein) are numbed with a medication so the

patient does not feel the needle being inserted into the skin. Next, a long thin wire with a soft tip is

inserted through the needle and into the blood vessel. This wire is known as a guide wire. With the guide

wire in place, the needle is removed. A flexible plastic tube (known as a catheter) is then placed over the

guide wire. The guide wire helps move the tip of the catheter into the desired location of the blood vessel

that needs to be examined. The doctors can tell where the catheter is by using pictures produced by x-

rays.

Once the catheter reaches the desired blood vessel, the contrast material (described in the 2nd question)

is injected into the blood vessel. A rapid sequence or movie of x-ray pictures is studied to monitor the flow

of contrast through the blood vessels. In this way, the blood vessels are examined. The contrast material

is usually inserted in the femoral artery (a large artery in each leg), the carotid artery (located on both

sides of the neck), or the brachial artery (located over each elbow).

HOW LONG DOES AN ANGIOGRAPHY TAKE?

An angiography can last anywhere from a few minutes to as long as two to three hours.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANGIOGRAPHIES?

Yes. There are many different types of angiographies, each of which examine blood vessels in different

areas of the body. Perhaps the most well known angiography is a coronary angiography, which is done to

assess if there is any narrowing or blockage of arteries near the heart. A carotid angiography is

sometimes used to examine if there is a narrowing or blockage in one of the carotid arteries. The carotid

arteries are located in the neck and supplies blood to the brain. A cerebral angiography is used to

determine if an aneurysm (see last question for description) is present in the brain. It is also used to

visualize a brain tumor before surgery. A special type of angiography that does not use a catheter and

does not require the use of contrast is known as a magnetic resonance angiography.

WHAT RISKS ARE INVOLVED WITH AN ANGIOGRAPHY?

The contrast material (see above) that is injected in the blood vessel usually causes a sensation of

warmth throughout the body. However, this sensation typically lasts only for a few seconds. The warm

sensation may be greater in the part of the body where the injection took place. A more serious side

effect occurs when someone is allergic to an ingredient in the contrast material. Such ingredients include

iodine (a nonmetallic element) and shellfish. Thus, it is recommended that patients be tested for allergic

reactions to the contrast before the procedure is performed. However, it should be noted that with

improvements in the development of contrasts, less than one person in 80,000 will be allergic to the

contrast used in an angiography. Another risk is that blood vessels can potentially be damaged during an

angiography since a needle, a wire, and a catheter (flexible, plastic tube) is being placed in them. This is

why the patient is recommended to rest in bed after the procedure and be monitored for signs of bleeding.

ARE ANGIOGRAPHIES ALSO USED FOR TREATMENT?

Yes. Angiographies are also performed to assist in certain types of treatment that can eliminate the need

for surgery. For example, in cases where the inside of the artery is narrowed, a small balloon can be

inflated at the tip of the catheter to widen this area. This procedure is known as a balloon angioplasty.

Another form of treatment that angiographies are used for is to inject material that reduces or shuts off

the blood supply to tumors (tissues that grow more rapidly than normal). By using an angiography,

medication can also be sent directly to blood vessels to control bleeding. Angiographies can also be used

to send medication directly into the blood supply to individual organs.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM, ANGIOGRAPHY?

Angiography comes from the Greek word "angeion" meaning "a vessel or opening in the body," and the

Greek word "graphe" meaning "to write." Put the two words together and you get "to write (about) a vessel

or opening of the body.