John Muir Health logo
  • Patients
    About MyChart
    Locating Patients
    Medicare
    New Patients
    Payment & Insurance
    Physician Open Payments Notice
    Preparing for Surgery
    Pre-Register for a Visit
    Registration & Forms
    Request a Health Record
    Security Center
    Video Visits
    Why Choose Us
  • Services
    Addiction Medicine
    Behavioral Health
    Cancer
    Cardiovascular Services
    Digestive Health
    Emergency Services
    Lab Services
    Medical Imaging
    Neurosciences
    Orthopedics
    Pediatrics
    Physical Rehabilitation
    Pregnancy & New Parent
    Primary Care
    Urgent Care
    ALL SERVICES
  • Education
    Classes, Screenings & Support Groups
    Clinical Trials
    Conditions & Treatments
    Health & Wellness
  • Health Professionals
    Careers
    Clinical Research
    Family Medicine Residency Program
    John Muir Medical Group
    Medical Staff
    Nursing
    Pharmacy Residency Program
    Resources
    Training & Education
    Video & Publication Center
  • About Us
    Annual Reports
    Awards & Recognition
    Board of Directors
    Community Commitment
    Employers, Brokers, & Health Plans
    Executive Team
    Make a Gift
    Mission & Vision
    Partnerships
    Media Center
MyChart Login
  • Find a location
  • Find a doctor
  • Pay a bill
  • Find a job
✕

Latest information on COVID-19 >

Angiography, Angiogram, and Arteriogram

  1. Home
  2. Services
  3. Cardiovascular Services
  4. Intervention
  5. Angiography, Angiogram, and Arteriogram
Intervention
  • Angiography, Angiogram, and Arteriogram
  • Angioplasty
  • Complex Coronary Interventional Procedures
  • Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
  • Robot-Assisted Angioplasty
  • Stent and Drug Eluting Stent
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
  • Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair with MitraClip®

Angiography, angiogram, arteriogram are all terms used to identify a procedure that outlines blood vessels, usually arteries, in various areas in the body. Cardiac arteriograms, also called a Heart Cath or Cardiac Cath, outline the arteries of the heart. Carotid arteriograms view the arteries in the neck leading to the brain. Renal or kidney arteriograms view the blood supply of the kidney. Leg arteriograms check blood flow to the leg and groin areas. Aortic arteriograms outline the major blood vessel of the chest and the abdomen.

Description of Angiography, Angiogram and Arteriogram

Angiography, angiogram, or arteriograms are terms that describe a procedure used to identify narrowing or blockages in the arteries in the body. The procedure is the same regardless of what area of the body is being viewed. A small tube called a catheter is placed in a large blood vessel at the top of the leg or in the groin region. The doctor carefully guides the catheter to the problem area (heart, leg, neck, kidney, or aorta) using moving x-ray pictures. By watching the flow of dye through the vessels with x-ray equipment, the doctor identifies obstructions and narrowing. The blood vessels specific to the problem areas are identified. A cardiac angiogram, more commonly called a Cardiac Catheterization or a Heart Cath, outlines the heart arteries. Angiograms that outline the neck arteries are called Carotid Angiograms. Outlining the blood supply to the kidneys is called a Renal Angiogram. Aortic Angiogram outlines the major chest and abdominal blood vessels. Leg (femoral), Iliac (groin), or popliteal (lower leg) are angiograms outlining the upper and lower leg.

Treatment Options

An angiogram is a diagnostic procedure that may lead to a treatment procedure. The doctor reviews the angiogram images either during or after the procedure. A treatment plan is made based upon the medical history, symptoms, location, and severity of the problem. Some blockages or narrowing can be fixed at the time of the procedure. A balloon procedure called angioplasty is often used during the procedure to dilate or widen the artery. A stent (a small, flexible, metal spring-like device) may be used to dilate or open the narrowed area and hold the artery open by supporting the artery wall. After reviewing the x-ray pictures, the doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to replace the artery or bypass (detour around) the obstruction. Surgical procedures are very specific to the identified problem. A carotid blockage requires a different surgical procedure than one used to correct an obstruction in the leg area. Doctors who specialize in vascular procedures are familiar with the surgical procedures available for specific problems and can advise as to how best to treat the problem.

John Muir Health Capabilities

John Muir Health provides full service care for individuals with vascular disease. State-of-the-art Angiography Suites are available at both John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek and John Muir Medical Center, Concord. Expert vascular surgeons are on staff at both medical centers.

Hi! I'm here to help answer your questions.
Chat
ABOUT
About Us
Board of Directors
Executive Team
Awards & Recognition
Partnerships
Community Commitment
Employers, Brokers & Health Plans
NEWS & PRESS
Media Center
Annual Reports
GET INVOLVED
Careers
Volunteer
Make a Gift
CONTACT
Email Us
PRIVACY
Patient Privacy
Website Privacy
Terms of Use
Security Center
Follow Us

© John Muir Health All rights reserved.

John Muir Health is accredited by The Joint Commission. 

We use cookies to measure website traffic and personalize content for a better browsing experience. By using this website, you consent to our cookies. For more details, see our Website Privacy Policy.