Hi, I was just wondering if there's a lot of radiation with angiograms? I was also wondering if there are ways to do a more minimal angiogram to avoid any unnecessary radiation? For example, if they know where the abnormality is, can they just image that part of my brain instead of the entire thing?
I was also wondering if there are any other body parts that get radiation exposure during a head angiogram? If so, is it a large amount or as large as what the brain receives? Thanks!!!!!
Don't quote me, but I don't think there is any radiation with an angio. Just dye to which some people are allergic. My last angio was in 1975 and things may have changed since then but I don't think so regarding radiation.
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, there is radiation involved with angiograms. That much is certain. I just wonder how much and if there are other parts being radiated during catheter insertion. Thanks for taking time to respond though!!
Dee, you may find this information sheet helpful: http://hps.org/documents/meddiagimaging.pdf
Yes, there is radiation, and yes, an angio is a greater exposure than a CT. Risks and benefits need to be weighed for all imaging, and it is always useful to ask your doctor questions about repeat angios. Dee, initial angios are very important diagnostically. Numerous repeat followup angios may be a bit more questionable.
My son has had several CTs and an angio. His current doctor actively considers radiation exposure and tries to minimize the overall load for his patients.
Thanks! I didn't see cerebral angio on there but will look again. My personal surgeon said that the radition exposure was less than a CT scan but I never knew what he meant by that. He could have meant less than an abdomen CT although I took it to mean less than a brain CT. I might never really know for sure. Just wondering averages. I appreciate it!
There isn't a lot specific to cerebral angiography. Here is one report, on children: http://jnis.bmj.com/content/4/Suppl_1/A9.2.short?rss=1
Embolization results in significantly higher exposure than angio alone.
Dee, I had similar concerns and made my docs aware. An angiogram is considered the gold standard so they did one for a baseline when my AVM ruptured. I had stereotactic radiosurgery, and will have a final angiogram to confirm obliteration. I chose to minimize radiation where possible, but I won’t compromise when it’s necessary. I’ve had some MRI’s and MRA’s instead of CAT scans.
I also chose to skip my annual dental X-rays for a for a few years. Everyone is different, but I believe every little bit helps. 
Good point, Tim, we skipped a few dental xrays as well. I got pretty ticked at the orthodontist's office one time after the staff ignored comments on my son's chart to limit xrays and xrayed him without my knowledge after his braces were off.
Thanks for pointing this out I had no idea and dont recall my doctor telling me there was infact any during my last angiogram having to go through another one soon so I will ask
I also choose to skip my annual dental xrays I know do it only if I am having an issue
Thank you for sharing
Angela
Dee, your surgeon is correct. An angiography is way less radiation than a CT scan. The reason embolizations require higher doses of radiation is b/c there are more "shots" or X-rays taken during the procedure to check placement of embolic agents. Max exposure is limited to the brain, but radiation will scatter about six feet from the table. Everyone in the room is wearing lead aprons, but probably glasses too. There are laws in place that limit the amount of radiation exposure a patient can have per day. GK
Thanks Greg. I keep reading WILDLY different opinions about radiation exposure for angiograms. I saw an article stating that the amount of radiation for a DSA is "insane" compared to CT. But I distinctly remember my surgeon saying it was less. He didn't specify if it was less than a brain CT but he definitely said that.
As I was pregnant during both of my angiograms, I'm started to learn that there might have been radiation exposure to my groin, abdomen and chest when they inserted and navigated the catheter. I'm just real worried for my kid who is now 18 months old but recently had some funky blood test results. I worry so much about the contrast dye or radiation giving him leukemia. His blood results are not extreme but suspicious to me.
All angios are not alike, I guess, Dee, as they will take different amounts of time to accomplish, so possibly angios are sometimes more exposure and sometimes less? About the risks to your child, this link suggests that the risks are minimal: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty-ct-pregnancy
I hope it will help ease your mind.
No need to worry about the femoral artery insertion site, Dee. That is done using ultrasound typically. GK
Thanks, sorry to keep probing. But was there radiation to my stomach? If so, was it a large amount? I watched a video online and I didn't see ultrasound equipment used for insertion. But I also didn't see any imaging equipment hovering overhead when they were initially placing the catheter. So confused. I'm surprised there aren't more details online about what goes on.
I was supposdedly wearing lead over my stomach but wonder if my stomach was directly radiated to guide the catheter.There is some radiation with an angiogram but it's a relatively small amount. I have had several angiograms and several embolizations, and my doctor said there's more radiation from the flouroscopy they have to use with embolization than there is from the angiogram. The doctor uses x rays to guide the catheter to the place they need to see the AVM, so some other parts of the body on the route to the AVM will get exposed to low levels of radiation. They can't only image the part of the brain with the AVM because it's critical that they be able to see the blood vessels they're threading the catheter through so they know where they're going.
I have had several angiograms (4 total so far) and have found them painless. So far I have had no reaction to the angiogram radiation.
Here is a link that provides some good information about cerebral angiography:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angiocerebral
Good luck, I think you will find that it's much easier than you think it is!
Yes, the flouro machine or C-arm is used to navigate the catheter up your femoral artery to the biforcation below your aorta, then up through the heart into the neck/head. The term DSA that everyone seems so alarmed about is simply a radiology technique. (Digital Subtraction Angiography). The catheter injects a contrast and an x-ray is taken to make the vessels dark on the monitor, then DSA is another exposure that reverses the shading and vessels to be navigated become enlightened or white on the monitor.(Hence the term 'subtraction') This provides a 'roadmap' for the doctor to guide the catheter to its desired location. GK
Contrast dye is usually iodine based and typically diluted quite a bit, especially if the patient has any renal deficiencies. The contrast is eventually filtered and passed by the patients kidneys. GK
thank you. I'm very sad to learn this as I was pregnant during my two angiograms. I had one before and after my AVM was surgically removed. Thankfully, no embolizations were performed but I never knew that my stomach was radiated at all. Do you know if the exposure was more than an abdominal CT scan? Direct radiation to the fetus in any trimester is linked to cancer and my son had some suspicious blood results. I've heard that contrast dye can damage or mutate bone marrow but I didn't worry about radiation because i thought only my brain was exposed.
Thank you. So worried! :/
Dee, please don't worry. Your doctor is a better guide than articles on this subject.