CT Angiography
Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is an imaging test used to visualize blood flow in major blood vessels throughout the body in areas such as the brain, chest, abdomen, pelvis, arms and legs.
The minimally invasive procedure involves injecting contrast material into a small peripheral vein with a tiny needle. The exam is an alternative to a catheter angiography, a more invasive procedure that injects the contrast material through a larger catheter in an artery or vein.
A CTA is used to visualize blockages or injuries of arteries. It’s often helpful in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of arterial diseases, such as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a narrowing of blood vessels that supply blood to the legs.
CTA is commonly used to:
- Examine the pulmonary arteries in the lungs to rule out pulmonary embolism
- Detect thrombosis (clots) in veins
- Visualize blood flow in the renal arteries (those supplying the kidneys) in patients with high blood pressure and those suspected of having kidney disorders
- Identify dissection in the aorta or its major branches
- Identify aneurysms in the aorta or in other major blood vessels
- Identify an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation inside the brain
- Discover atherosclerotic disease in the legs
- Detect narrowing or obstruction of arteries in the pelvis and in the carotid arteries, which bring blood from the heart to the brain
- Map the details of arteries feeding certain tumors
Who Should Consider a CT Angiography?
Any individual with a family history of heart disease or an elevated calcified plaque score from a heart scan should consider CT Angiography. In addition, current or former smokers, post bypass patients and those who suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, post obesity or diabetes should consider the procedure.
