Cardiac Catheterization
The Heart & Vascular Surgery Center at Halifax Health offers complete diagnostic resources including four state-of-the-art cardiac procedure rooms where diagnostic cardiac catheterizations (cardiac caths) are performed.
Cardiac catheterization is a procedure that involves the insertion of a catheter (long, thin tube) into a blood vessel, usually in the groin. Under x-ray guidance, the catheter is then advanced into the heart. When in place, x-ray contrast dye can be injected through the catheter allowing moving x-ray images to be taken of the heart valves, coronary arteries and chambers of the heart. The images taken during this procedure can help determine if there are blockages or signs of coronary artery disease.
During the heart catheterization procedure, the physician will be able to determine the extent of heart disease and what other treatments such as angioplasty, insertion of a stent, or heart surgery might be needed.