Table of Contents
Angiography is an invasive test. It is used for patients who show strong evidence for severe obstruction on stress and other tests, and for patients with acute coronary syndrome. It is required when there is a need to know the exact anatomy and disease present within the coronary arteries. A limitation of angiography is that it is not always the most occluded (narrowed) artery that causes the next heart attack. In an angiography procedure:
- A narrow tube is inserted into an artery, usually in the leg or arm, and then threaded up through the body to the coronary arteries.
- A dye is injected into the tube, and an x-ray records the flow of dye through the arteries.
- This process provides a map of the coronary circulation, revealing any blocked areas.
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Click the icon to see an image of dye in the coronary artery. |
Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA). MRA is a newer noninvasive imaging technique that can provide three-dimensional images of the major arteries to the heart.
Computed Tomography
Computed tomography (CT) scans may be used to evaluate coronary artery disease.
Calcium Scoring CT Scans of the Heart. These scans are used to detect calcium deposits on the arterial walls. The presence of calcium correlates well with the presence of atherosclerosis of the heart. If the calcium score is very low, a patient is unlikely to have coronary artery disease. A higher calcium score may indicate an increased risk of current and future coronary artery disease. However, the presence of calcium does not necessarily signify narrowing of the arteries that would need further immediate evaluation or treatment.
CT Angiography. CT scans may also be used to visualize the coronary arteries. When compared to invasive angiography, CT angiography is not as accurate in identifying who truly has coronary artery disease and who does not. Other types of newer CT techniques include electron beam computed tomography and multidetector computed tomography.
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Click the icon to see an image of a CT scan. |
Review Date: 05/05/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
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)
