What is a key aspect of cardiac catheterization?

Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure primarily utilized for diagnosing and treating various heart conditions. One of the key aspects of this technique is its ability to allow for visualization of coronary arteries. During the procedure, a thin flexible tube known as a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel and guided to the coronary arteries. A contrast dye is then injected, which highlights the arteries on imaging tests, such as fluoroscopy or angiography. This visualization enables healthcare providers to identify blockages, narrowing, or other issues within the coronary arteries, assisting in treatment planning for conditions like coronary artery disease.

The other choices deal with different investigative techniques or tests. Taking blood samples from the heart, measuring electrical activity, and testing cholesterol levels, while they may be components of broader cardiac assessments, do not capture the distinctive capability of cardiac catheterization to visualize coronary arteries directly.