Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Cerebral angiography

Table of Contents

Tell the health care provider if you:

  • Are allergic to shellfish or iodine substances
  • Have a history of bleeding problems
  • Have had an allergic reaction to x-ray contrast dye or any iodine substance
  • May be pregnant

You may be told not to eat or drink anything for 4 to 8 hours before the test.

When you arrive at the testing site, you will be given a hospital gown to wear. You must remove all jewelry.


How the test will feel

The x-ray table may feel hard and cold. You may wish to ask for a blanket or pillow.

Some people feel a sting when the numbing medicine (anesthetic) is given. You will feel a brief, sharp pain as the catheter is inserted. There is a feeling of pressure as the catheter is moved into the body.

Some people feel a warm or burning sensation of the skin of the face or head when the contrast dye is injected.

You may have slight tenderness and bruising at the site of the injection after the test.


Why the test is performed

Cerebral angiography is most frequently used to identify or confirm problems with the blood vessels in the brain.

Your doctor may order this test if you have symptoms or signs of:

  • Abnormal blood vessels (vascular malformation)
  • Aneurysm
  • Narrowing of the arteries in the brain
  • Vasculitis

It is sometimes used to:

  • Confirm a brain tumor
  • Evaluate the arteries of the head and neck before surgery
  • Find a clot that may have caused a stroke

In some cases, this procedure may be used to get more detailed information after something abnormal has been detected by an MRI or CT scan of the head.

This test may also be done in preparation for medical treatment (interventional radiology procedures) by way of certain blood vessels.


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Review Date: 11/22/2010
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)