Test and Procedures for diagnosing cardiac disorders include:
Angiogram, including renal (kidneys) and abdominal aorta
Coronary Angiogram
If your physician thinks you may have blockages in the arteries near your heart, a coronary angiogram may be ordered. An angiogram is an x-ray image of the blood vessels after they have been filled with a contrasting material called a dye. An angiogram is performed by a cardiologist in the Cath Lab. A small catheter is inserted through the skin into an artery, normally in the groin area, and guided to the opening of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. The radiographic contrast dye is then released into the artery, and the images produced are called angiograms.
These angiograms show the areas, and the severity of any coronary artery blockages. From these images your cardiologist can determine which treatment is best for you, whether it be angioplasty, stenting or coronary bypass surgery.
Renal Angiogram
A similar procedure is a renal angiogram, which is also performed in the Cath Lab. In this procedure the catheter is guided to the arteries that supply blood to your kidneys. Once the contrasting dye is released in this area, your physician can determine whether the blood flow to your kidneys is normal
Abdominal Aortogram
An abdominal aortogram is an angiogram of the lower abdominal aorta and arteries in the legs. This procedure is performed when a patient has pain in the calf muscles after normal walking. The angiograms will reveal any blockages in these blood vessels and allow for your physician to determine the type of procedure to be used to open, or widen, the blocked area.
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