Who performs the test and Diagnosis?

A doctor who specializes in interventional radiology will perform the test in the Special Procedures room or Angiography suite of the Radiology department.

How should I prepare for the test?

Don't eat or drink after midnight on the night before the test. You should take your normal morning medication with a small amount of water. Certain diabetes medications or insulin may be held the day before or the morning of the diagnostic exam, so check with your physician beforehand. Make arrangements to have someone drive you to and from the hospital. Before the test, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown and an intravenous (IV) line will be placed in your arm. The radiologist or nurse will discuss the test with you, explain the risks, answer any questions, and have you sign consent forms.

What happens during the test?

Step 1. prepare the patient
You will lie on your back on an x-ray table, and your head will be positioned so that it won't move during the test. Your blood pressure and heart rate will be monitored throughout the test.

Step 2. insert the catheter
In order to deliver the contrast agent to the correct arteries, a catheter--or long, flexible, soft plastic tube--must be used. The catheter is inserted into an artery, usually the femoral artery in your groin area, through a needle. The groin area is first shaved and cleansed. A numbing agent is used to minimize discomfort as an incision is made to locate the artery. The catheter is inserted and then carefully guided through your arterial system to the correct position in your neck or brain (Figure 4). Your doctor views and guides the catheter with the help of a fluoroscope (a type of x-ray that shows images on a TV monitor). You may feel brief pain when the catheter is inserted, but most catheter manipulation is painless.

Step 3. take x-ray pictures
When the catheter is in the correct place, your doctor will inject the contrast agent while x-ray pictures are taken. You will feel a hot, flushed sensation lasting from 5 to 20 seconds. At this point you should remain very still so that the x-ray images will not be blurred. This may be repeated several times in order to view all necessary arteries.

What happens after the test?

Once the x-rays have been taken, the catheter will be removed and pressure is applied to the puncture for about 10-15 minutes so that your artery won't bleed. A bandage may be tightly applied, and you must stay on your back in bed for the next four to six hours, keeping your leg as straight as possible. In some instances, a puncture closure may be used which will allow you to get up and move around sooner. Notify your nurse if you notice any pain, swelling or bleeding.