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Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization, a relatively painless, non-surgical procedure, allows doctors to assess the heart's pumping action and whether blood vessels in the heart are clogged. It also may be used to diagnose problems in the heart's structure or failure of the heart's valves to open and close properly.

During the procedure, a cardiologist inserts a thin, flexible tube into a blood vessel and gently guides it to the patient's heart. Special x-ray equipment is used to watch the movement of this catheter inside the body.

At Greenwich Hospital, all catheterizations are performed by board-certified interventional cardiologists.