Which procedure would be used to directly visualize coronary arteries?

Cardiac catheterization is the procedure that allows for the direct visualization of coronary arteries. This technique involves threading a thin tube, called a catheter, into the coronary arteries through a blood vessel (usually from the groin or wrist). Once the catheter is in place, a contrast dye is injected, allowing the arteries to be seen clearly on X-ray images. This provides detailed information about the presence of blockages, narrowing, or other issues within the coronary arteries, making it a key procedure in diagnosing and evaluating coronary artery disease.

While other imaging techniques like echocardiograms, CT scans, and MRIs can provide valuable information about the heart's structure and function, they do not directly visualize the coronary arteries in the same manner. An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to assess heart function and structure but lacks the resolution for detailed vascular imaging. CT scans can visualize coronary arteries using advanced methods, such as coronary CT angiography, but this process is indirect and does not involve catheterization. Similarly, MRI focuses primarily on soft tissue imaging and does not provide the direct and detailed images of the coronary artery lumen that catheterization does.