Angiography is an exam of the arteries and veins to diagnose blockages and other blood vessel problems. The physician inserts a catheter into the artery through a tiny incision in the skin and injects X-ray dye to make the blood vessels visible and identify the exact location of the problem. If your doctor finds a narrowing or blockage, he or she can open it with angioplasty or thrombolysis.
Balloon Angioplasty and Stent Placement
During angioplasty, your physician inserts a very small balloon attached to a catheter into a blood vessel through a tiny incision. He or she threads the catheter under X-ray guidance to the site of the narrowed artery where it inflates, opening the artery. Sometimes a small metal stent is inserted to hold the blood vessel open.
Vascular Magnetic Resonance
Vascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is an innovative technology that uses magnetic resonance imaging to produce highly detailed pictures of the heart. This clinically proven, safe and comprehensive tool enables our vascular and interventional radiologists to see the heart in any plane, with superior image quality without radiation exposure.
CMR is currently the most accurate and reliable method of assessing cardiac problems. We commonly use CMR to diagnose, evaluate and monitor a wide variety of vascular conditions, including:
- Structures and function of the heart valves and major blood vessels
- Size and thickness of the heart’s chambers
- Coronary heart disease and coronary artery disease
- Congenital heart disease
- Damage caused by a heart attack or progressive heart disease
- Buildup of plaque and blockages in blood vessels