What is Angiography?

Angiography is a medical imaging procedure used to check the blood vessels from the inside. Mainly look for arteries and heart chambers. This process is done by injecting a contrast agent into the blood vessel and imaging using X-ray-based methods.

Why do we do an Angiography?

• Diagnosis: Angiography is like a detective tool for doctors. It helps them figure out what’s causing problems in your blood vessels, such as blockages, narrowed arteries, or dangerous bulges like aneurysms.
• Planning the Perfect Fix: Once the issues are spotted, angiography becomes the architect’s blueprint. It helps doctors design the best plan to fix the problem. This might mean procedures like angioplasty to clear blocked vessels or stents to keep them open.
• Surgeon’s GPS: Surgeons rely on angiography as their GPS during vascular surgery. It’s like a high-tech map that guides them through your blood vessels with precision, reducing any potential risks.
• Monitoring: If you already have known blood vessel issues, regular angiograms are like health check-ups for your veins and arteries. They help track how your condition is progressing and how well your treatments are working.
• Research: Angiography isn’t just for individual health; it also contributes to medical research. It’s a valuable tool that helps scientists better understand vascular diseases and test new treatments.

Types of angiography:

There are many different types of angiographies, depending on which part of the body is being looked at. Common types of angiographies include:

• Coronary Angiography: It is an invasive test performed in hospitals to look for narrowings or blockages in the blood vessels that supply the heart. If a narrowing or blockage of blood vessels is found that appears suitable, your cardiologist may proceed to perform angioplasty.
• CT Coronary Angiography: CT angiography or computed tomography is an X-ray technology to create high-resolution, 3-D images of your heart. A CT coronary angiography is one type of cardiac CT, concentrating on the arteries that supply the blood to your heart muscle.
• Peripheral Angiography: Peripheral angiography is a test done by using X-rays and contrast dye to help cardiologists find blocked or narrowed areas in one or more of the arteries that supply blood to your feet, legs, or in some chances, your arms, and hands. The test is also called extremity angiography.
• Renal Angiography: Renal angiography is an imaging test to examine the blood vessels in your kidneys. Your doctor can use it to see the ballooning of a blood vessel, narrowing of a blood vessel, or blockages in a blood vessel.
• Cerebral Angiography: A cerebral angiography test is used to image the blood vessels of the brain. The procedures do not vary markedly, but there is a more extensive path to follow through the vascular system to reach these areas.

Advantages of angiography

• It can help you and your doctor make better determinations about whether and how to treat your heart condition.
• This modality provides accurate locations of the bleeding or blockage.
• Angiography may help to avoid surgery. If surgery is required, it can be done more accurately.
• Angiography test is Painless, accurate, and fast

Advantages of Angioplasty:

• Can save your life and reduce heart damage during a heart attack by reviving blood flow to the heart
• May immediately reduce symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, making you feel better
• Can reduce the risk of stroke
• Can enhance the functioning of the kidneys
• Can restore blood flow to the legs to prevent gangrene and eliminate the need for amputation

What is the recovery time after angioplasty?

Getting back on your feet after angioplasty is usually faster and less limiting than after traditional open-heart surgeries. Following Dr. Jayesh Sharma’s advice and attending all your follow-up appointments is crucial for a successful recovery and keeping your heart healthy. Keep in mind that the length of your recovery can vary, so discuss your specific situation with Dr. Jayesh Sharma’s Cardiologist team.