Our Approach During cardiac catheterization, a physician uses digital images to identify narrowing or blockage in the arteries. This procedure is performed in an area of the hospital called the catheterization lab. The rooms in the catheterization lab have specialized equipment that allow cardiologists to see instant moving images of the heart.
During the procedure, a thin plastic tube (a catheter) is guided through a main artery in the leg or arm and up to the heart. Once the catheter is in the heart, the physician injects a dye, which helps track blood flow on the image.
If the physician identifies arteries that are narrow or blocked, there are several cardiac catheterization techniques, called interventional procedures, which can often be used to improve blood flow.
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