An angiography in Navi Mumbai is a non-invasive imaging procedure that allows Dr. Vinay Jaiswal to visualize the coronary arteries without surgery. It is a type of cardiac CT scan specifically designed to assess the health of the coronary arteries. During angiography, a contrast dye is usually injected into a vein in your arm. This dye helps to highlight the blood vessels in your heart. Then, a CT scanner takes detailed X-ray images of your heart from different angles. A computer reconstructs these images to create a three-dimensional view of your coronary arteries.
Angiography is an X-ray exam of the arteries and veins to diagnose blockages and other blood vessel problems. It is commonly used to identify abnormalities in blood flow to and through various body parts. The procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist who inserts a catheter into the artery and injects a contrast agent to make the blood vessels visible on X-ray. Angiography aims to see if the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked and to look for abnormalities in the heart muscle or heart valves.
At B&J Hospital in Mumbai, the standard angiogram procedure, performed by an interventional radiologist or a cardiologist, a thin tube called a catheter is inserted into an artery through a small incision, typically in the groin area. The incision is usually about the size of the tip of a pencil. The catheter is carefully threaded through the blood vessels until it reaches the area of interest.
Once the catheter is in position, a contrast agent, or X-ray dye, is injected. This contrast dye helps to make the blood vessels visible on X-ray images, allowing the doctor to visualize any blockages, narrowing, or abnormalities in the blood vessels.
During the procedure, you will be awake so that you can follow instructions given by the medical team. Your heart doctorate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels will be continuously monitored throughout the procedure.
In some cases, if a blockage or narrowing is identified during the angiogram, the interventional radiologist or cardiologist can perform treatments such as angioplasty or thrombolysis. Angioplasty involves inflating a balloon within the blocked blood vessel to widen it, while thrombolysis consists in using medications to dissolve blood clots.
However, it is worth mentioning that there are non-invasive alternatives to traditional angiography, such as CT angiography (CTA). CTA uses a computerized tomography (CT) scanner and the injection of a contrast substance to examine the blood vessels. It provides detailed images without the need for catheter insertion. CTA is considered a safe outpatient procedure and can be an alternative to standard catheter angiography in certain cases. The decision on which procedure to use depends on individual circumstances and should be discussed with your doctor.