Word parts
What it means
It shows narrowed, blocked or bulging vessels. A catheter is often threaded into the vessel to inject the dye, as in cardiac catheterizationKAR-dee-ak kath-uh-ter-ih-ZAY-shunA procedure in which a thin tube is threaded through a blood vessel into the heart to take pictures, measure pressures or open blocked arteries.Full entry ; CT and MR angiography can be done with dye given through an IV. The picture it produces is an angiogram.
For the nurse
Ask about allergies to contrast dye and check kidney function before. Afterward, check the catheter site and the pulses below it, and encourage fluids.
At a glance
| Spanish | angiografía |
|---|---|
| Also written | angiogram, angiograms |
Related terms
computed tomography
An imaging test that uses x-rays and a computer to make cross-section pictures of the inside of the body.
magnetic resonance imaging
An imaging test that uses a strong magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the inside of the body.
cardiac catheterization
A procedure in which a thin tube is threaded through a blood vessel into the heart to take pictures, measure pressures or open blocked arteries.