Angiography is a type of X-ray examination that creates detailed images of the arteries (blood vessels) and the blood flow inside them. These images are called angiograms.
Angiography involves injecting a special dye, called contrast medium, into the blood vessels. On the angiogram, this shows any abnormalities inside the blood vessels.
What is angiography used for?
Angiography is used to explore blood vessels in different parts of the body including:
- the brain,
- the heart,
- the kidneys,
- the eyes, and
- the extremities (arms and legs).
Types of angiography
Types of angiography include:
- cerebral angiography (brain),
- coronary angiography (heart),
- pulmonary angiography (lungs),
- renal angiography (kidneys),
- lymphangiography (lymph vessels), and
- extremity angiography (arms or legs).
X-ray
An X-ray is a painless way of producing pictures of inside the body using radiation.
Blood
Blood supplies oxygen to the body and removes carbon dioxide. It is pumped around the body by the heart.
Arteries
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Veins
Veins are blood vessels that carry blood from the rest of the body back to the heart.
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
Kidneys
Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located at the back of the abdomen, which remove waste and extra fluid from the blood and pass them out of the body as urine.
Brain
The brain controls thought, memory and emotion. It sends messages to the body controlling movement, speech and senses.
Blood vessels
Blood vessels are the tubes in which blood travels to and from parts of the body. The three main types of blood vessels are veins, arteries and capillaries.
Coronary artery bypass
A coronary (heart) bypass is surgery to redirect the flow of blood around a clogged artery, by creating a new pathway for the blood to travel in.
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a blood-filled sac that forms in a weakened part of a blood vessel.
Cysts
A cyst is a fluid-filled sac or cavity in the body.
Congenital
Congenital means a condition that is present at birth. The condition could be hereditary or develop during pregnancy.
