Angiogram

An angiogram is a screening procedure that can detect the locations of blockages in the heart. It is considered the gold standard for evaluating blockages in the arterial system. The detection is performed by using real time images, taken after the injection of a contrast agent (iodine dye). The procedure provides information that helps your Cardiologist determine the best course for diagnosis and treatment.

Angiograms are typically performed while the patient is sedated. The procedure may last for an average of 15-20 minutes or up to an hour, depending on the level of complications that are unique to each patient.

The different types of Angiograms include Coronary Angiogram, Cerebral Angiogram, Head & Neck Angiogram, Peripheral Angiogram and Renal Angiogram. The details about the procedures are as follows:

Coronary angiograms are part of a general group of procedures known as heart (cardiac) catheterizations. It is an investigative procedure that uses imaging to see your heart’s blood vessels. The test is generally done to see if there’s a restriction in blood flow going to the heart.
Cerebral Angiogram is a procedure which uses a special dye to trace how blood flows through the brain.
A Head & Neck Angiogram uses a special dye and camera (fluoroscopy) to take images of the blood flow in the blood vessel of the head and neck.
A Peripheral Angiogram helps identify narrowed or blocked areas in one or more arteries that supply blood to the limbs.
A Renal angiogram may be used to assess the blood flow to the kidneys. Fluoroscopy is often used here as the conditions are ideal for imaging this part of the anatomy. A beam is passed through the body part being examined, and transmitted to a TV- like monitor revealing necessary details.

A doctor can use an angiogram to examine the flow of blood vessels across the heart & detect blockages that are interrupting the flow of blood.
During an angiogram, a doctor will look for signs of cardiovascular disease and problems with the blood vessels in your body.
An angiogram reveals if the coronary arteries are narrowed. If yes, then till where and to what extent.
It helps identify the future course of medication, need for angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery. It can therefore detect the risk of heart attack before it can occur.
Radial Angiograms (when the catheter is inserted through the wrists) are considering outpatient procedures and patients usually go home on the same day.
Angiograms (with or without balloon angioplasty/stenting as follow-up treatment) are considering outpatient procedures and patients usually go home the same day. Desun Kolkata was the first hospital to start Radial Angiography in Kolkata.

Doctors may recommend a coronary angiogram in the following medical conditions:

Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina)
Pain in chest, jaw, neck or arm that can’t be explained by other tests
New or increasing chest pain (unstable angina)
A heart defect from birth (congenital heart disease)
Abnormal results on a non-invasive heart stress test
Other blood vessel problems
A chest injury
A heart valve problem that requires surgery
Symptoms that might mean problems with the blood flow to the brain that may include severe headaches, memory loss, slurred speech, dizziness, blurred or double vision, weakness or numbness, or loss of coordination or balance
Signs of a tumourous growth in the body observed through blood flow patterns to study the spread of disease and necessary treatment
Symptoms of common vasculitis skin lesions such as red or purple dots, usually most numerous on the legs or larger spots which look like large bruises, hives, an itchy lumpy rash and painful or tender lumps.

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can lower a person’s risk of dying from heart disease. Doctors use various tests and procedures such as angiograms, to identify and treat different types of heart disease. Doctors also use angiograms for early detection of problems with the various organs of the body to prevent organ failure and to initiate treatment procedures.

During an angiogram, a doctor will look for signs of cardiovascular disease and problems with the arterial, venous, and capillary blood vessel structures and blood in the entire circulatory system. They use angiogram results to diagnose the following conditions:

aneurysms, or bulges that develop in weakened artery walls
atherosclerosis, which occurs when plaques and fatty material collect on the inner walls of the arteries
pulmonary embolisms, or Thrombosis (a blood clot within a blood vessel) or occlusion (blockage of a blood vessel)
vascular stenosis or vasospasm (spasm of the blood vessel), which causes abnormal narrowing of the blood vessels that lead to the brain, heart, or legs
congenital abnormalities in the blood vessels or heart
Ateriovenous malformation (an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins)
Renovascular Hypertension (systematic high blood pressure caused when the renal artery is narrowed)
Other conditions which may be detected by a renal angiogram include tumours, haemorrhage, complications of kidney transplantation, and the invasion of a tumour into the blood vessels.
A doctor may also order an angiogram:

to evaluate the health of a person’s blood vessels before surgery
to identify blood vessels feeding a tumor
to plan treatments, such as a coronary bypass, stenting, or chemoembolization (Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization is a minimally invasive procedure performed in interventional radiology to restrict a tumor’s blood supply) to evaluate a stent after placement

The term angiogram refers to a diagnostic screening test that doctors can use to identify blocked or narrow blood vessels. A doctor will explain how to prepare for an angiogram during the appointment prior to the procedure. In most cases, people will need to do the test with an empty stomach. The following steps are followed:

Angiogram can be either radial or femoral where a doctor inserts a long, narrow tube called a catheter into an artery located in the arm, upper thigh, or groin.
Then a contrast dye is injected into the catheter
Images of the dye pumping through the blood vessels are captured in real time to check the extent of damage internally.
Doctors can also perform angiograms using CT scans and MRI scans.

If your angiogram confirms that you have coronary heart disease, your doctor is likely to prescribe a number of medicines to relieve any symptoms and reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Coronary Angioplasty improves blood flow to your heart by using a special balloon to open out the narrowed artery in a procedure similar to a coronary angiogram. Very often a small expandable metal tube called a stent is implanted at the narrowed site to keep the artery open.

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