Cardiac Catheterization - Catheterization of Chambers and Valves

Catheterization of Chambers and Valves

Catheterization of cardiac chambers and valves may be performed in the same round as a coronary catheterization, and may also involve nearby major vessels, such as the aorta. It is the main method of cardiac ventriculography (another being radionuclide ventriculography, whose use has largely been replaced by echocardiography).

It has the ability to measure the pressure gradient across a valve and derive valve area from it. Thereby, it can assist in diagnosis of, for example, aortic stenosis.

This is also the procedure used in balloon septostomy, which is the widening of a foramen ovale, patent foramen ovale (PFO), or atrial septal defect (ASD) using a balloon catheter.