Why It Is Done

An angiogram is done to:

• Detect problems with blood vessels that affect blood flow. Examples of such problems include a tear in a blood vessel (which can cause blockage or internal bleeding), aneurysms (which are weaknesses in the blood vessel wall), and narrowed areas.
• Look for changes in the blood vessels of injured or damaged organs.
• Show the pattern of blood flow to a tumor. This can not only help show how much the tumor has spread but also guide treatment. See an angiogram image of a bleeding tumor in the kidney.
• Show the condition, number, and location of renal arteries before a kidney transplant. See an angiogram image of a kidney.
• Look for a source of bleeding, such as an ulcer.
• Prepare for surgery on diseased blood vessels of the legs (peripheral arterial disease) in people who have severe leg pain when walking.
• Check how bad atherosclerosis is in the coronary arteries.

In some cases, a method called interventional radiology may be used during an angiogram to treat diseases. For example, a catheter can be used to open a blocked blood vessel, deliver medicine to a tumor, or stop intestinal bleeding caused by diverticular hemorrhage. To stop intestinal bleeding, the catheter is moved into the small artery where the bleeding is occurring, and medicine that narrows the artery or causes the blood to clot is injected through the catheter.