Carotid Angiograms

What to expect during a Carotid Angiogram

For a carotid angiogram, a medication such as Heparin may be given during your procedure to reduce the risk of blood clots. You may also need to take aspirin for 3 to 5 days before the procedure and for 4 to 6 weeks after the procedure.

At the procedure, your doctor will numb the area where the introducer sheath will be inserted. The sheath is a thin, hollow tube that is inserted through a small puncture and into an artery in your leg (femoral approach) or your arm (brachial approach).

A long, narrow tube called a catheter is inserted through the sheath and is guided through the aorta to the carotid artery with the help of a special x-ray machine. Some patients may have a second sheath placed in the leg or arm vein where a temporary pacemaker wire is placed in the heart to regulate the heart rhythm during the procedure.

Contrast material is injected through the catheter and x-ray movies are created as the contrast material moves through the carotid arteries. The digital photographs of the contrast material are used to identify the site of the narrowing or blockage.