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Department of Radiology

WVU Logo WVU Hospital Radiology

XA Subclavian

Vascular / Interventional

Patient Instructions:

To schedule a CT scan please contact (304) 598-4000, ext. 74253 . Please contact the CT personnel at (304) 598-4253 if you need specific instructions for a scheduled scan.

Diagnostic Angiography

Angiography is a type of x-ray that is done to image blood vessels in various parts of the body, including the heart, brain and kidneys, so as to determine whether the vessels are diseased, narrowed, enlarged or blocked altogether. After passing a catheter through an artery leading to the body area of interest, a contrast material is injected to highlight the vessels when x-rays are taken. Today, many catheter angiographic studies have been replaced by less invasive methods, such as computed tomography (CT) angiography and magnetic resonance (MR) angiography, that do not require that a catheter be inserted. Catheter angiography still is widely used in patients who may undergo surgery, angioplasty, or stent placement.

What are some common uses of the procedure?

Common reasons to do catheter angiography are to detect narrowing or blockage of a blood vessel, identify abnormally dilated blood vessels, and determine the site of internal bleeding. The procedure is able to:

  • Show atherosclerotic disease in the carotid artery of the neck, which may limit blood flow to the brain and even cause a stroke.
  • Demonstrate an intracranial aneurysm or other disorders of the blood vessels in the brain.
  • Indicate disease in the renal artery or help prepare for a kidney transplant.
  • Determine the state of the aorta and detect an aneurysm of this vessel.
  • Demonstrate a source of bleeding, such as a stomach ulcer.
  • Help prepare for surgery on diseased blood vessels in the legs of patients who have severe leg pain when walking.
  • Show the extent and severity of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.

Surgeons sometimes use angiography to plan an operation, like coronary bypass surgery, or to decide on the best surgical procedure. Using catheter angiography as an aid to see inside blood vessels, surgeons can repair diseased vessels from within using tiny instruments and inserting a stent to keep the vessel open.

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Interventional Radiology

At WVU, we perform the following therapeutic interventional radiology procedures:

  • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
  • Biopsy
  • Chemoembolization
  • Cryotherapy
  • Embolization
  • Endovenous Ablation of Varicose Veins
  • Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Stenting
  • Thrombolysis
  • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
  • Vascular Access Procedures
  • Vertebroplasty

This information has been provided for your convenience from the Radiological society of North America patient information website.
For further information please go to: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/sitemap/

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