Cardiac catheterization is the term for medical procedures that use a long, thin tube called a catheter to diagnose and treat various heart conditions. In this procedure, your doctor will insert a catheter in your arm, groin, or neck artery and thread it to your heart. Once the catheter is in the right location, your doctor may use a special dye to take X-rays of your heart, see blockages using ultrasound, take samples of blood and heart muscle, or repair valves and arteries. Cardiac catheterization causes little or no pain, and you’re awake during the entire procedure.
