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Coronary angiography is a type of X-ray that shows your coronary arteries.

This test is done in an X-ray laboratory. You may hear doctors call it the cath lab. Before the test, you may be given medication to make you sleepy.

When you have angiography, doctors put a thin tube (called a catheter) through an artery in your arm or thigh and into your heart. Then they inject dye through the tube into your coronary arteries. When they take the X-ray, the dye shows up.

From this test, your doctor can tell how badly your coronary arteries are narrowed. If it shows that your arteries are very narrow, your doctor may suggest you have a procedure to widen them.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.