Cardiac catheterization is a test to check the heart and coronary
arteries. It is used to check blood flow in the coronary arteries, blood flow
and blood pressure in the chambers of the heart, find out how well the heart
valves work, and check for problems in how the wall of the heart moves.
The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to find out if a person
has disease in the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis). If the person has
atherosclerosis, this test can pinpoint the size and location of fat and
calcium deposits (plaque) that are narrowing the coronary arteries. Results
from cardiac catheterization help determine whether treatment with bypass
surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as angioplasty, may
be effective.
During cardiac catheterization, a soft, thin tube (catheter) is put
in a blood vessel in the arm or groin and gently moved into the heart. A
special dye (contrast material) that shows up on X-rays is injected through the
catheter. An X-ray picture on a computer screen shows the dye moving through
the blood vessels and into the chambers of the heart. X-ray pictures of the dye
can check for narrowing or blockage of the arteries.
