Angiography is a test that uses x-rays to show how blood moves through the blood vessels of your heart and throughout your body. The x-rays are taken after you have received an injection of fluid called a contrast agent (a substance that can be seen on the x-rays).
Angiography can help identify the problem causing heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease or aneurysm. In some cases, angiography may be the only way to find out what is wrong with your heart. For example, if you have chest pain or shortness of breath and are coughing up blood but have not yet had a heart attack, angiography may be used to look for signs of coronary artery disease.
Angiography may also be used to find out why you have ongoing chest pain or shortness of breath. This is called stress testing. You will be asked to exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle while an ECG monitor records how your heart responds to the exercise, and a dye is injected into your blood vessels.
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