What is an Angiogram?

There’s something a little scary about having a medical test done especially if you don’t know exactly what it involves. One type of test that doctors frequently order are studies called angiograms. The good news is an angiogram is not a painful test and shouldn’t involve any significant pain or discomfort. Hospitals do these studies every day. What is an angiogram test and how is it performed?

What is an Angiogram?

Angiograms are tests that are done to look for blocked blood vessels. An angiogram may be called by a variety of names depending on what blood vessel is being studied. For example a cerebral angiogram looks for blockages in the blood vessels that feed into the brain and a carotid angiogram looks for blocked carotid arteries – arteries that run along the sides of the neck. One of the most common types of angiograms is a coronary angiogram to look for a blockage in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.

How is An Angiogram Test Performed?

An angiogram basically involves taking x-rays of the vessels. To make a blockage or narrowing more visible a contrast agent or dye is used. To get the dye into the body, an I.V. is placed into a blood vessel and the contrast agent is injected through the catheter to light up the vessels to be x-rayed. The vessel where the I.V. is placed is usually in the arm or in the groin region depending upon which vessels are being looked at.

A person getting an angiogram may be placed under light I.V. sedation to make the procedure more comfortable, but general anesthesia isn’t usually needed. Once the dye or contrast agent is injected, x-rays can be quickly taken. The contrast agent may feel a feeling of warmth when it enters the body but shouldn’t be painful.

When is an Angiogram Test Abnormal?

An abnormal angiogram is one that shows a blocked, narrowed, kinked, or abnormally shaped blood vessel that could obstruct the flow of blood or cause blood flow to be more turbulent. This can increase the risk of a heart attack if it’s a coronary artery or a stroke if it’s a carotid artery. If an abnormality in a blood vessel is seen, your doctor may recommend treatment to correct the narrowing or blockage.

What are the Risks of an Angiogram Test?

A small number of people are allergic to the dye or contrast agent and can develop a serious allergic reaction – although if this happens it can usually be quickly treated. At the point where the I.V. is placed, there can be bleeding or the blood vessel can become damaged, or a large bruise or collection of blood known as a hematoma can develop. In rare cases, particularly in diabetics, the contrast agent can cause kidney failure.

The Angiogram Test: The Bottom Line?

Angiograms are done every day without significant discomfort to the patient. If your doctor orders this test for you, be sure to let him or know about any allergies to medications, anesthetic agents, or dyes you’ve experienced in the past. Also let the medical staff know if you have any other medical problems – particularly diabetes. Angiograms are an important test to rule out blockages. In most cases, it’s worth the very small risk – especially if it leads to the detection of a more serious problem.

References:

Merck Manual. 18th Edition.