A carotid or cerebral angiogram is a diagnostic test designed to show the condition of the blood vessels of the brain. X-ray contrast material is injected into an artery through a small tube (catheter), and X-ray images are obtained.
Carotid angiography is used to study the caliber of the carotid artery and look for stenosis that may be significant and cause an increased risk of stroke. Carotid angiography is performed with a routine angiographic procedure from the groin using thin catheters. Often both the carotid artery in the neck and the intracerebral vessels are studied at the same time.