Cath Lab: How It Works
Angiography (Cath Lab) is a type of imaging used to reveal blood vessels in various parts of the body, including the heart, brain and kidneys, so as to determine whether the vessels are diseased, narrowed, enlarged or blocked altogether. After passing a catheter through an artery leading to the body area of interest, a contrast material is injected to highlight the vessels when x-rays are taken. Interventional angiography may still be used in patients who have previously undergone surgery, angioplasty, or stent placement.
The Lab is equipped with a state of the art GE Innova 3100, which provides high-quality digital images. A computer located just outside the Lab allows physicians to call up patient information and access everything the hospital is doing in respect to cardiovascular disease. The Lab allows physicians to take angiograms of the heart and other blood vessels throughout the body to figure out what the proper course of treatment should be.
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