A cerebral angiogram is an x-ray that shows the blood vessels in the head. The dye is delivered through a catheter in a blood vessel in the arm, leg, or the neck. The purpose of a cerebral angiogram is to detect problems with the blood vessels.
Most people are awake during the procedure.
Others may need a mild sedative to relax. The test can last from 30 minutes to a few hours. The dye may cause warm feelings, flushed face, temporary headache, salty taste, or nausea and vomiting. The patient lies on an x-ray table. The most common site to inject the dye is the leg.