(X-ray exam of the blood vessels)

Angiography is an X-ray exam of the arteries and veins to diagnose blockages and other blood vessel problems.

An interventional radiologist performs this X-ray procedure, which is also called an angiogram. During the angiogram, the doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) into the artery through a small nick in the skin about the size of the tip of a pencil. A substance called a contrast agent (X-ray dye) is injected to make the blood vessels visible on the X-ray.

One of the most common reasons for angiograms is to see if there is a blockage or narrowing in a blood vessel that may interfere with the normal flow of blood through the body. In many cases, the interventional radiologist can treat a blocked blood vessel without surgery at the same time the angiogram is performed. Interventional radiologists treat blockages with techniques called angioplasty and thrombolysis.

Some other reasons for performing an angiogram

* aneurysms -- an area of a blood vessel that bulges or balloons out

* cerebral vascular disease, such as stroke or bleeding in the brain

* blood vessel malformations

* to diagnose problems not resolved by other tests. Angiograms are sometimes used by surgeons to plan an operation or choose the best surgical procedure.