Invasive Diagnostic Services
Patients with a history of heart disease, or those who require a more detailed and definitive cardiac diagnosis, may benefit from cardiac catheterization. If further treatment is needed, the patient can be referred to the state-of-the-art facilities at the RUSH Heart Institute at RUSH University Medical Center.
Cardiac Catheterization (Angiogram)
The area at the crease of the leg near the upper thigh is numbed briefly with local anesthetic and a small tube (sheath) is placed in the artery. If the leg is not a good access site to the heart, the sheath can be placed in the arm. A thin catheter is then threaded through the blood vessels guided by a fluoroscope (X-ray) to the heart arteries. A contrast agent is injected into the arteries to see if a blockage is present. If a blockage is revealed, this test can help determine the best way to treat it - medication, percutaneous coronary intervention such as angioplasty or stent procedure, or coronary bypass surgery.
