Alternate Names : Catheterization - Cardiac, Heart Catheterization

Definition

Cardiac catheterization involves the passage of a catheter (a thin flexible tube) into the right or left side of the heart. Generally this procedure is performed to obtain diagnostic information about the heart or its blood vessels or to provide therapeutic interventions in certain types of heart conditions.

Cardiac catheterization can be used to determine pressure and blood flow in the heart's chambers, collect blood samples from the heart, and examine the arteries of the heart with an X-ray technique called fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy provides immediate ("real-time") visualization of the X-ray images on a screen and provides a permanent record of the procedure.