Angiography is a clinical procedure in which doctors inject a special type of dye into a blood vessel. The data from an angiography test is called an angiogram. The dye, called contrast dye, is visible by X-ray imaging, and the doctor is able to analyze blood flow through the blood vessel in question. There are several different types of angiography, which are categorized based upon the blood vessel analyzed.
Coronary Angiography
Doctors perform a coronary angiography to analyze the flow of blood through the blood vessels in the heart. This type of angiography is one type of a group of procedures called cardiac catheterization, according to the Mayo Clinic. Catheterization is any procedure in which a hollow thin plastic tube is inserted in the body. Coronary angiography is the most common type of heart catheterization procedure. The contrast dye is injected through the catheter once it is in place in the heart, and the image of the dye flowing through the blood vessels is displayed on a monitor. The doctor can then see in detail if there is any blockage or problems with the blood flow through the heart. Merck Manuals adds that coronary angiography can help the doctor diagnose the severity of coronary heart disease, valve dysfunction or other heart disorder.
Pulmonary Angiography
Pulmonary angiography helps doctors visualize how the blood flows through the lungs. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a long, thin plastic tube usually into the arteries of the arm or groin, according to MedlinePlus, an online medical encyclopedia. The tube, also called a catheter, is moved up through the blood vessels, through the chambers of the heart, and into the main artery that leads to the lungs: the pulmonary artery. Injected contrast dye travels into the pulmonary artery. The doctor can then analyze the way blood moves through the pulmonary artery. Merck Manuals states that angiography detects blood clots in the pulmonary artery.
Cerebral Angiography
Cerebral angiography allows doctors to analyze the flow of blood through the blood vessels in the brain. Similarly to the other types of angiography, the doctor inserts a catheter that allows injection of contrast dye into the blood vessels in the brain. Cerebral angiography checks for any blood vessel narrowing, inflammation or blockages, including blood clots. This procedure can also detect arteriovenus malformation, which is when arteries and veins grow abnormally into tangles, restricting blood flow as a result.
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