AngiogramIn 1958, the first coronary angiogram was performed, unintentinally, by Dr. F. Mason Sones, Jr. (1919-1985), a pediatric cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. This diagnostic x-ray procedure uses dye injected to visualize blockages of the small nutrient arteries of the heart. Earlier studies on dog showed use of the the dye in coronary arteries caused heart fibrillation, so it was never tried on humans. While intendingto dye a patient's diseased vessels by injecting dye only near their openings, on this occasion, the catheter insertion had inadvertently strayed into the patient's coronary artery, and about 30 cc of the dye went into the artery. Fortunately, expected heart fibrillation (requiring the opening of the patient's chest to treat) did not occur. Hence the dye could in fact be used safely, especially if in lower amounts.«[Image: Right coronary artery shown on an angiogram: white where healthy, dark where blocked.] |
