Coronary Angiography Panel (with Imaging)

Coronary angiography is an imaging test that uses a special contrast dye and X-ray images to show how blood moves through the arteries that supply your heart muscle, allowing doctors to spot narrowings or blockages that may be causing chest pain, shortness of breath, or other heart-related symptoms.

Coronary angiography is an invasive procedure where a contrast dye is injected into your coronary arteries through a catheter inserted in your arm or groin. X-ray images capture the flow of blood, highlighting any blockages or narrowing in the arteries supplying your heart. This is typically done to evaluate suspected coronary artery disease or assess the results of prior interventions like angioplasty or stent placement.

Your doctor may order this test if you have chest pain, abnormal results from a stress test or EKG, or symptoms that suggest blocked arteries, or before certain heart procedures, because it helps confirm the cause of your symptoms and guides decisions about medications, stents, angioplasty, or bypass surgery.

Your healthcare provider may recommend coronary angiography if you have symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or irregular heartbeat that suggest heart disease. It’s also used to evaluate heart function before surgeries, guide treatments for known blockages, or assess heart damage from conditions like a heart attack.

During the procedure, a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is placed into a blood vessel in your wrist or groin and gently guided toward your heart, contrast dye is injected through the catheter, and a series of X-ray images is taken while a care team monitors your heart rhythm, blood pressure, and comfort throughout.

You’ll receive sedation to stay calm during the procedure. A small tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel, usually in your arm or groin, and guided to your heart’s arteries. A contrast dye is injected, and X-ray images are taken to visualize blood flow. The procedure usually takes 30 minutes to an hour, and you’ll be monitored closely afterward for any complications.

Before the test, you will typically be asked not to eat or drink for several hours, mention any allergies or medications you take, and arrange for someone to drive you home; afterward, you will rest while pressure is applied to the insertion site to prevent bleeding, and most people go home the same day and resume light activities within a day or two.

Before the procedure, your provider may ask you to stop certain medications (like blood thinners) as directed. Avoid eating or drinking for 6–8 hours before the test. Recovery may include resting at home for a day or two, avoiding strenuous activity, and monitoring for signs of bleeding or infection. Follow your provider’s instructions for follow-up care.