Common Types of Angiography
Type |
Area to Be Evaluated |
Uses |
|
Blood vessels of the heart With cardiac catheterization, the heart itself |
To diagnose coronary artery disease and other heart disorders To determine whether angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery is feasible To determine the severity of a heart disorder To identify the cause of chest pain, shortness of breath, or certain other symptoms To clarify the specific structure of a person’s heart before heart valve replacement surgery |
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|
Aortography |
Aorta |
To check for the following:
|
|
Cerebral angiography |
Blood vessels of the brain |
To check for the following: |
|
Blood vessels of the eye |
To evaluate damage to the retina due to diabetes (diabetic retinopathy) or macular degeneration To evaluate the retina before laser therapy |
|
|
Peripheral arteriography |
Arteries of the arms, legs, and trunk, except the aorta and arteries of the heart |
To check for the following:
|
|
Pulmonary angiography* |
Blood vessels of the lungs |
To diagnose pulmonary embolism (blockage by blood clots in the pulmonary arteries, which lead from the heart to the lungs) and identify abnormalities of pulmonary arteries and veins |
|
*CT pulmonary angiography has largely replaced conventional pulmonary angiography because it is less invasive. |
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CT = computed tomography. |
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