ACG Physiology Abbreviation

Angiocardiography

Angiocardiography is contrast radiography of the heart and great vessels. A liquid radiocontrast agent, typically containing iodine, is injected into the bloodstream, then the tissues are examined using X-rays. To avoid dilution, the radiopaque material is typically introduced with a catheter, a process known as selective angiocardiography. Normally, rather than just a single image, hundreds of X-ray images are rapidly captured on high-speed serial media, such as 35 mm film or a digital imaging counterpart, thus allowing the motion to be observed.