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Invasive Tests

Cardiac Catherization includes diagnostic and therapeutic procedures involving the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle, possible abnormalities of the heart valves and studies of the pressures and blood oxygen levels within the heart and lungs.

Coronary Angiograms help the doctor to study the anatomy and workings of the heart. A special x-ray dye shows up the structures of the heart and provides a map of the coronary arteries.

Left Heart Catheterization measures blood pressures on either side of the aortic valve.

Right Heart Catheterization uses a catheter called a Swan-Ganz inserted through a vein to measure blood pressures and sample oxygen saturatins in the venous side of the heart and in the lungs. Measurements are also made to determine the amount of blood the heart is pumping (in liters/minute) called cardiac output.

Left Ventricular Angiography examines the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of the heart. Left Ventricular angiograms are used to determine the extent of a heart attack and to get a general idea of overall heart function.

Bypass Graft Angiograms study various vessels used by a surgeon as conduits to bypass blockage in coronary arteries. These vessels could include veins from the leg and arteries from the arm or chest wall.

Aortic Angiograms or Aortograms study either the ascending (from the heart through the aortic arch) or descending (from the arch to the iliac arteries) aorta.

Endomyocardial Biopsies study the tissue of the heart muscle. A small catheter is used to take a sample of tissue from the venous side of the heart.

Intra Vascular Ultrasounds (IVUS) may be used as a diagnostic tool to help determine the severity of a blockage and its composition.

 

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