A coronary angiogram ( CAG ) is a procedure that uses X-ray imaging to see your heart's blood vessels. The test is generally done to see if there's a blockage in arteries, that supply blood flow to the heart. During a coronary angiogram, a type of dye that's visible by an X-ray machine is injected into the blood vessels of your heart. The X-ray machine rapidly takes a series of images (angiograms), offering a look at your blood vessels. If necessary, An angiogram can help your doctor see if you need treatment such as angioplasty(stenting) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG)
During CAG, a long, narrow tube called a catheter is inserted through a plastic introducer sheath (a short, hollow tube that is inserted into a blood vessel in your arm or leg. The catheter is guided through the blood vessel to the coronary arteries with the aid of a special X-ray machine. Contrast material is injected through the catheter and X-ray movies are created as the contrast material moves through the heart’s blood vessels. The digital photographs of the contrast material are used to identify the site of the narrowing or blockage in the coronary artery. The patient will be awake and conscious during the entire procedure.