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Angiography/Arteriografia.

Article Excerpt
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Angiography is an x-ray examination of the blood vessels after they have been filled with a contrast agent (a type of fluid that makes the vessels visible on an x-ray image). Angiography is performed when your physician suspects that blockages in your arteries or veins are interfering with the normal flow of blood. Physicians also use angiograms to find aneurysms (areas of a blood vessel that bulge out), to detect stroke or bleeding in the brain, to plan some types of surgical procedures and to find irregularities that can affect the heart or other organs.

Patient Preparation

If you receive instructions on preparing for your procedure, follow them carefully.

The day of your exam, a number of blood tests will be performed, and you will be asked about the medications you take, whether prescription or over-the-counter. You also will be asked if you have any allergies. It is important to list all allergies to food and medicine, as well as hay fever or asthma. Existing allergies may indicate a possible reaction to the contrast agent that will be used during the procedure. If you are a woman of childbearing age, you also will be asked if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.

An interventional radiologist--a physician who specializes in minimally invasive treatment techniques guided by radiologic imaging--will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you might have. The radiologist is assisted by...