Angiography of vessels: what it is and how it is conducted, to whom such a study is shown

Angiography makes it possible to conduct a complete examination of the vessels, identify clogging, possible foci of thrombus formation, sites of narrowing and thinning of their walls.

In this study, a special contrast agent is injected, which is highlighted in X-rays and reveals potential or real pathologies.

Why

is prescribed Angiography can be administered in the following cases:

• Difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, and occasional pain in the sternum.
• Chest injuries or surgery in this area.
  Vessel examination before surgery, if necessary.
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• Presence of congenital pathologies, as well as assistance in their diagnosis if they are suspected.
• Prophylaxis and monitoring of patients who underwent medical treatment for heart, arteries or veins if the desired results were not achieved and the symptoms remained or intensified.

Angiography is a fairly broad concept, including several types:

• Cerebral , where the brain vessels are examined.
• Phlebography , where the veins of the extremities are examined in order to study the nature of the veins' blood flow.
• Fluorescent angiography, where the vessels of the eyeball and adjacent areas are examined.
• Angiopulmonography , where the vascular network of both lungs is examined.
• Thoracic aortography, which examines the aorta and its branches( heart vessels).
• Renal arteriography, which examines the kidneys for trauma, hematoma and tumors.

Species, MR and CT

An invasive method for the use of angiography is the in the introduction of the contrast( very often iodine is used in its role) and the necessary sections of the arteries and veins are studied using X-rays. Such an angiography is the most accurate and informative.

Although radiopaque angiography is considered a somewhat outdated method, is actively used in medicine and so far none of the other alternative techniques has been able to provide such accurate information as invasive.

Non-invasive angiography uses ultrasound, computed tomography( CT) and magnetic resonance imaging( MRI) .Of course, such ways of obtaining information also have their advantages.

They help to comprehensively consider the problem, because often vascular diseases are not isolated from other abnormalities and pathologies. And sometimes they are signs of more serious diseases. Therefore, non-invasive angiography is a whole complex of studies, enabling to determine the influence of many factors on the sites under study.

Which parts of the body are examined by

Most often, angiography is assigned to examine the following parts of the body:

• of the Brain .After the introduction of contrast, X-ray images of the head are made in different projections. The substance is administered twice for a more accurate diagnosis.
• Coronary heart vessels .The contrast drug is inserted into the femoral or inguinal vein with a catheter. The catheter moves up to the aorta. After this, the contrast is fed to the left and right coronary arteries alternately.
• Limb vessels .When studying the upper limbs, the substance is introduced into the pleural arteries of the left and right hands. To determine the condition of the veins of the lower extremities, contrast is introduced either as in the previous case - through the femoral artery, or through the abdominal aorta. X-ray photography is conducted from several angles and positions.
• Internal organs .The contrast agent is introduced into the aorta, or into the large veins that communicate with the organ under investigation. Angiography of internal organs is indicated in those cases when it is not possible to determine the nature of the disease or there are doubts about the correct arrangement of the vessels.

Indications and contraindications

Angiography of is indicated in the following cases:

• Thromboembolism.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Alleged development of cysts or tumors.
• Diseases of internal organs.
• Determination of the presence of diseases of the heart and its vessels.
• Diagnosis of retinal pathologies.
• Prophylaxis of complications in the postoperative period.

Contraindications to this test procedure:

• The patient is in serious condition.
• The course of any disease in acute form( acute cardiac, renal, hepatic insufficiency, etc.).
• Venereal diseases.
• General weakness of the vessels and their tendency to frequent ruptures and bleeding.
• Tuberculosis.
• Severe mental illness and inability to control the patient.
• Presence of oncological tumors.
• Pregnancy.

Rules for the preparation of

Before assigning X-ray studies using contrast, is necessary: ​​

• To submit a general and biochemical blood test in order to determine the nature of its coagulation.
• If possible, give up eating a few hours before the procedure( except for diabetics and people with kidney disease).
• Increase the amount of fluid consumed.
• In case of threat of allergic reactions, antihistamines are used.
• Abolition of medications that affect blood clotting.

Special attention should be paid to the presence of chronic diseases in the anamnesis and the presence of allergies in angiography in children.

Procedure

The algorithm for the angiography is as follows:

1. Introduction of antiallergic drugs.
2. Antiseptic treatment of the body area where the substance will be injected for contrast.
3. Introduction of a local anesthetic( most commonly used Lidocaine).
4. Skin is cut to provide access to the artery or vein.
5. Install the handset - introducer.
6. Introduce a drug that prevents vasospasm( use Novocaine, if it is not allergic).
7. A hollow tube is inserted into the catheter and advances to the beginning of the vessel under study( the process is monitored by X-ray).
8. Contrasting substance is introduced, shooting is carried out( for more exact information the process can be repeated several times).
9. Removing the catheter and introducer.
10. Stop bleeding, if any.
11. Apply a tight bandage.

Learn more, what it is and what results in the diagnosis of diseases allows to achieve angiography of the vessels, from this video:

Possible complications after

The consequences of angiography include:

• Allergy .Most often occurs on contrast or preparations against coagulability of blood.
• Edemas and bruises .Occur in places of microoperative intervention.
• Hemorrhages .Since the body is injected with substances that dilute the blood, coagulability may be low for some time after the procedure. Injury of vessels .
• Heart failure .It can occur if the procedure was broken.

Most of the complications can be avoided with a detailed study of the patient's history, and also with the observance of the correct technique. Complications caused by abnormalities of the internal organs of should be treated immediately , permanently, if symptoms occur in the first hours after angiography.

Restorative treatment and recommendations to patients

The recovery rate after angiographic studies of depends on how large they were .General recommendations include:

• Compliance with bed rest and diet.
• No stresses or shocks.
• Exception of physical activity during the recovery period, and especially on the limbs, if they were subjected to research.
• Taking antihistamines for prevention.
• Referring to a doctor if discomfort occurs at the site of insertion of the catheter or when the condition deteriorates sharply.

Principles of decoding the results of

The principles of decoding the results are presented in the table below.

As can be seen fromevaluation table, often several noticeable deviations from the norm indicate the presence of the same disease. To establish a more accurate diagnosis, sometimes resort to non-invasive angiography.

Average prices in Russia and abroad

The average cost in Russia for conducting such a procedure fluctuates from 2500 to 10000 rubles .The price policy for such studies varies greatly, because the doctor can prescribe any additional studies. Below are the average prices for the angiography of different parts of the body.

Angiography can be used not only as an independent research complex, but also as an important part of the formulation of the exact diagnosis .Very often, it is only through such a procedure that it is possible to exclude or identify diseases that have not been established in other ways.