healthy body tips

What is it?

An angiogram is an x-ray picture of the inside of a blood vessel. The procedure used to take an angiogram is called angiography.

Who needs this procedure?

An angiogram shows whether a blood vessel is abnormal in any way, such as blocked, bulging, inflamed, or narrowed. When a patient’s symptoms point to any of these possibilities, angiography is useful in diagnosing the cause. An angiogram can reveal heart disease, atherosclerosis, kidney disorders, brain tumors, problems with the retina, aneurysms, blood clots, and abnormal formations of arteries and veins. It helps determine whether the patient is at risk of stroke or heart attack.

How do I prepare for this procedure?

Your doctor will explain the entire process to you and tell you not to eat or drink anything for a period of time before your angiogram. If you have had an angiogram in the past and know you are allergic to the dye or have an iodine allergy, tell your doctor. Also inform your doctor if you have a history of kidney disease because the dye can make your condition worse. Angiography may not be recommended for people with blood clotting disorders.

How is this procedure performed? (invasive surgery)

Angiography is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. You may receive a sedative, if necessary, and an intravenous (IV) line in case any medications are needed during the procedure. A healthcare professional called a interventionist will inject a special dye into one of your arteries or veins through a catheter to detect plaque in the blood vessels. The exact location of the injection and the method in which it is injected depends upon the area being studied. The area where the dye is injected will be numbed, and you should feel no more than mild to moderate discomfort. Then, x-ray pictures are taken as the dye flows through the blood vessels. The angiogram will reveal anything blocking the path of the dye or other abnormalities along the way. You may feel warm or flushed as the dye spreads through your body. Some patients experience other side effects, such as headache, dizziness, or chest pain just after the dye is injected, but these should pass quickly. After the angiogram is complete, the radiologist will remove the instrument used to inject the dye and apply pressure to the site of the injection. You will need to stay for observation for a period of time after the procedure. Some patients are hospitalized overnight, depending upon the area studied.

What can I expect after the procedure?

While the injection site may feel sore for a while after the procedure, most people experience no side effects from angiography. However, if you experience a drop in blood pressure and/or breathing problems, you are having an allergic reaction to the dye and should contact your doctor immediately. Some patients may develop a hard mass, called a hematoma, around the injection site. Your doctor should monitor this condition because it could mean there is bleeding in that area. If you have had angiography on the retina of your eye, you should protect your eyes from direct sunlight for a time specified by your doctor.

Self-care tips

Give yourself a few days to rest after angiography. Call your doctor if you have any pain, swelling, or bleeding around the site where the dye was injected; or experience dizziness or chest pain.

This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference guide written by our health care reviewers.  The health information written by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your physician.  It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.