An angiogram is a diagnostic imaging test that allows medical professionals to visualize the inside of blood vessels. This procedure uses a special contrast material and X-ray imaging to create detailed pictures of blood flow within the arteries and veins. Its primary purpose is to identify areas of concern within the vascular system, revealing potential issues that might affect a person’s health.
What an Angiogram Reveals
An angiogram is performed to identify various conditions affecting blood vessels, providing crucial information. It helps detect blockages or narrowing in arteries, such as those in coronary artery disease affecting the heart or peripheral artery disease in the legs. The procedure can also reveal the presence of aneurysms, which are bulges or weak spots in a blood vessel wall, or blood clots that might impede blood flow.
Visualizing these vascular structures enables medical teams to pinpoint the exact location and extent of problems. This detailed mapping is important for assessing conditions like arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), where arteries and veins are abnormally tangled, or other vascular malformations. The insights gained from an angiogram help guide decisions on whether medications, lifestyle changes, or interventional procedures are the most appropriate course of action.
Preparing for Your Angiogram
Patients receive specific instructions to follow before an angiogram. It is typically necessary to avoid eating or drinking for a specific period, often 6 to 8 hours, prior to the scheduled test. Adjustments to medications are frequently required, particularly for blood thinners like warfarin or clopidogrel, which may need to be paused several days beforehand, and for certain diabetes medications.
It is important to inform the medical staff about any allergies, especially to contrast dye or iodine, as alternative preparations might be necessary. Patients are advised to arrange for transportation home, as sedatives given during the procedure make driving unsafe. Wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and leaving jewelry at home are also common recommendations.
The Angiogram Procedure
The angiogram procedure typically takes between 30 minutes and a few hours, depending on the complexity and any immediate interventions. Upon arrival, patients change into a hospital gown and lie on an X-ray table. An intravenous (IV) line is usually started in the arm to administer fluids and medications, including a sedative to help the patient relax while remaining awake.
The insertion site, commonly in the groin or wrist, is cleansed with an antiseptic solution and numbed with a local anesthetic. A small incision is made, and a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into an artery. The medical team then carefully guides the catheter through the blood vessels to the area being examined, a process not felt by the patient.
Once the catheter is in position, a special contrast dye is injected through it into the blood vessel. This dye makes the blood vessels visible on X-ray images, which are captured using a technique called fluoroscopy, allowing real-time visualization of blood flow. During the dye injection, patients may experience a temporary warm or flushed sensation or a brief urge to urinate. Multiple X-ray images are taken as the dye moves through the vessels, helping to identify any blockages, narrowing, or other abnormalities.
After the Procedure
Following the angiogram, the catheter is carefully removed from the insertion site. Pressure is immediately applied to the area, often for 10 to 30 minutes, to prevent bleeding and allow the artery to seal. In some cases, a small sealing device or stitch may be used. Patients are then moved to a recovery area where nurses closely monitor vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, and check the insertion site for any signs of bleeding or swelling.
Recovery time varies, but patients are often asked to lie flat for several hours, especially if the groin was the insertion site, to ensure proper healing. Soreness or bruising at the catheter site is common, typically subsiding within a few days to a week. Most individuals can return home the same day, though an overnight stay might be necessary in some circumstances. Patients are generally advised to avoid strenuous activities, heavy lifting, and driving for 24 to 48 hours, and to keep the wound site clean and dry. The results of the angiogram are typically discussed shortly after the procedure or at a follow-up appointment.