Cerebral angiogram is a medical procedure similar to a renal angiogram that is used to visualize the blood vessels (and if any anomaly is present) in the brain using a special contrast dye material and X-ray imaging.it is used by physicians to look at the blood flow to the brain. The main focus of study is usually the carotid artery which brings blood into the brain. It is called a carotid arteriogram and is often the main artery studied using X-ray imaging to detect if there is any enlargement or narrowing or any other anomaly in the carotid artery. The dye used contains iodine that offers a contrasting background when put under X-rays and the blood vessels are easily seen. A cerebral angiogram is only a diagnostic imaging test and not a treatment for any disease. It is most commonly performed to determine presence of diseases like aneurysms, vascular malformation. It is also commonly carried out to check the state of blood flow through arteries before a major head or neck surgery or one that is done to remove brain tumors.
The procedure is similar to a renal angiogram and is done using a flexible, thin catheter tube. A cerebral angiogram is a minimally invasive procedure that is done under local anesthesia at the site of incision. The patient is usually fully awake but sedated. General anesthesia is given to uncooperative patients if at all necessary. The physician cuts an incision at the arm or leg through which a thin flexible tube called a catheter is inserted. Through this catheter, a contrast dye (iodinated) is pushed into the body that reaches the brain. The brain arteries are then visualized under X-ray as iodine provides a contrasting image. After the procedure, the catheter tube is withdrawn and the cut in the artery and skin is closed. The procedure is quite fast and takes only about half an hour to complete without complications but it takes 7 days to recover fully.
Patients are usually allowed to go home the same day 4-6 hours after the procedure till which the incision area is monitored by the healthcare workers. In some complicated cases, patients may need to stay in the recovery room for overnight before getting discharged. But the X-ray results are usually not available until a few weeks as the X-ray needs to be studied in details carefully. The patients once discharged, can resume their normal diet at home and also take regular medications unless their cerebral doctor asks not to (in some cases). The success rate of a cerebral angiogram is evaluated to be 92.7-99%. A cerebral angiogram cost in India from a reliable hospital costs around 15000-35000 INR.
Patients should not drive, operate heavy machinery, and indulge in strenuous activities for the next 48 hours. They have to take in a lot of fluids, mainly water, to flush out the contrast dye from their system. Dehydrating beverages like coffee or alcohol should be avoided for a few days after the procedure. It is not recommended to soak the catheter site until it heals. Till then, most patients can shower after 24-48 hours avoiding the incision site (or as your physician recommends). All necessary instructions about how to dress the incision site or care for the wound is given by the provider. The site should be nursed properly to avoid any infection.
Although the procedure looks simple, anything involving the brain is a great matter of concern and should only be done by highly experienced and expert doctors to avoid any kind of complications like blood clot, hemorrhage, or paralysis. Hence, the expert round-the-clock doctors and nurses team at Dania Medicare Solutions is your best bet to proper diagnosis and healing. Dania Medicare Solutions provide the best solutions in brain angiography with a highly curated budget package that not only involves the best-in-class infrastructure and health workers but also proper healing post the procedure which is very important.
