Renal angiography is an imaging test that shows the blood vessels of the kidney. A thin catheter is passed through an artery in the groin or wrist to the kidney, contrast dye is injected, and X-ray images are taken. A kidney doctor in Mumbai advises it when a narrowed kidney artery is suspected, for example, in high blood pressure that is difficult to control or unexplained loss of kidney function.

How the Procedure Can Help

It shows exactly where and how severely the kidney arteries are narrowed or blocked and guides the decision about medicines, angioplasty or stenting. It can also assess blood supply before kidney transplantation or surgery.

Risks and Considerations

The contrast dye can itself strain the kidneys, so hydration and kidney function are checked beforehand. Bleeding at the puncture site, an allergic reaction to the dye, injury to the artery, and, rarely, cholesterol fragments reaching the kidney can occur. Alternative scans may be considered in patients with very poor kidney function.