Angiography

Angiography is an X-ray study of the arteries. This procedure involves injecting a contrast material (X-ray dye) into a blood vessel to make it visible on an X-ray. The dye is placed directly in the artery through a very small flexible tube called a catheter, which is inserted into the artery through a small nick in the skin.

The procedure is often used to detect abnormalities of the blood vessels, such as narrowing and blockage caused by fatty deposits or blood clots, and aneurysms (defined as weakening or ballooning of the wall of the artery). Angiography can also detect abnormal patterns of blood vessels caused by tumors and can show sites of internal bleeding. Demonstrating these blood vessel abnormalities can help the physician determine the extent of the disease and determine the best treatment option.