Angiography/Interventional X-Ray Machine

The angiography/interventional x-ray machine, as you can see, has a table with a mattress, on which you lie, with an arm coming across the table which delivers or detects the x-rays. Within the room there will usually be a radiologist, a nurse and a radiographer.

Your procedure uses x-rays to obtain live pictures of your body. In this room many different investigations are performed. Some are undertaken to treat a particular condition and your doctor or health professional will explain more about this. The most common procedure performed in this room is an angiogram. This is a special x-ray examination of blood vessels. Normally, blood vessels do not show up on ordinary x-rays, but by injecting a special dye containing Iodine, called CONTRAST MEDIUM, into an artery through a fine plastic tube called a catheter, and taking x-rays immediately afterwards, detailed images of arteries and veins can be produced.

Usually procedures in the room will take between 30 minutes and two hours.

Equipment

In order to take the pictures of your blood vessels it is necessary to use specialist equipment to allow contrast medium to be injected into the correct blood vessels. Radiologist use specially designed tubes and wires to access these vessels. Occasionally, part of the blood vesels which is narrowed may be stretched by a balloon. this is called ANGIOPLASTY. Sometimes it may not be possible to keep the narrowing open by just by stretching the vassel with a balloon so a metal cage is inserted into the vessel. This is called a STENT. You can see pictures of both angioplasty balloons and Stents on this website.