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Cardiac Catheterization
About this test
Cardiac
catheterization, also called coronary angiogram, is a test
to check your heart and
coronary arteries. It is used to check blood flow in
the coronary arteries 
, blood flow and blood pressure in
the chambers of the heart , find out how well the heart
valves work, and check for defects in the way the wall of the heart moves. In
children, this test is used to check for heart problems that have been present
since birth (congenital heart defect).
The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to find out if you have disease in your coronary arteries (atherosclerosis). If you have atherosclerosis, this test can pinpoint the size and location of fat and calcium deposits (plaque) that are narrowing your coronary arteries. Results from cardiac catheterization help determine whether treatment with bypass surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as angioplasty, may be effective.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is similar to cardiac catheterization but it is used to open up a narrowed coronary artery. With PCI, your doctor guides a thin flexible tube (catheter) into the narrowed coronary arteries to open them using special tools and to improve blood flow to your heart. The two common types of PCI are:
- Angioplasty with stenting. The
angioplasty is done by attaching a small balloon to the catheter. Once the
catheter has been guided to the proper location in a coronary artery, the
balloon is inflated. The pressure from the inflated balloon presses the plaque
against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow. After the plaque is
compressed using angioplasty, a small expandable wire tube called a stent is
inserted into the artery to hold it open. Reclosure of the artery is less
likely to occur after angioplasty followed by stenting than after angioplasty
alone. This is the most common procedure performed. See a picture of
angioplasty.
- Atherectomy. This may be done during cardiac catheterization to open a partially blocked coronary artery. Once the catheter reaches the narrowed portion of the artery, a cutting device, a whirling blade (rotational atherectomy), or a laser beam is used to remove the plaque. This procedure is done in combination with balloon angioplasty or stenting.
Other tests can be done during cardiac catheterization to find heart problems. An X-ray test called a ventriculogram measures how well blood flows through the left side of your heart. The test looks at the movements of the wall of the left ventricle and the heart valves.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: August 21, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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