Cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization allows the invasive acquisition of haemodynamic data using direct and indirect pressure measurements and oxygen saturations, and provides anatomical information using contrast angiography. Right heart catheterization used to be a routine part of an invasive cardiac study. The increased accessibility and accuracy of non-invasive imaging (in particular, echocardiography and Doppler techniques), however, has reduced the need to perform right heart catheterization. This chapter describes the principal uses of cardiac catheterization, the basics of pressure waveforms, equipment required, accessing the left and right heart, left and right heart pressures and waveforms, how to perform calculations, and the techniques of ventriculography and aortography.