Coronary angiogram
This is an invasive test to look directly at the heart arteries (the coronary arteries) and uses dye and X-rays. It is the best test (the gold standard) to identify if these arteries are narrowed (a stenosis) or even blocked (an occlusion). A stenosis or occlusion of a coronary artery can lead to angina and even heart attacks.
The test is most commonly performed as a day case procedure. A small hollow tube is inserted in the artery in the leg (the femoral artery) or into the arm (the radial artery) after local anaesthetic to anaesthetise the skin. The small tube is then passed around the body and carefully inserted into the coronary arteries using X-rays. Dye is then injected into the heart arteries and an image using X-rays is taken to look at the coronary arteries.
This procedure is routine and is generally considered safe...