What is the key invasive procedure used by general Invasive Cardiologists primarily for diagnosis, involving catheter guidance to the heart?
Answer
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization serves as the critical, yet minimally invasive, procedure that separates non-invasive care from definitive intervention. In this process, a thin, flexible catheter is threaded, typically via an artery in the groin or wrist, up to the coronary arteries or heart chambers. While the entry itself is invasive, the immediate purpose is diagnostic: to take precise pressure measurements within the chambers or to inject contrast dye for angiography, which visualizes blockages under X-ray guidance, confirming the anatomical details before any repair might be considered.
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