What does angiogram mean?
An angiogram is a medical imaging test that produces an X-ray picture of the body's blood vessels or the chambers of the heart. Because blood vessels are not normally visible on standard X-rays, a contrast dye containing iodine is injected into the bloodstream, making the vessels stand out clearly on the resulting image. Angiograms are among the most important diagnostic tools in modern medicine: a coronary angiogram can reveal narrowed or blocked arteries supplying the heart, while a cerebral angiogram can detect aneurysms or other abnormalities in the brain's blood vessels. The word derives from the Greek 'angeion', meaning a small vessel, combined with 'gramma', meaning something written or recorded. Strictly speaking, the term denotes the image itself rather than the procedure used to produce it, which is called angiography. Though technical in register, the word appears frequently in patient discussions, medical reports, and health journalism.
nounAn X-ray image of blood vessels or the chambers of the heart, made visible by injecting a radiopaque contrast dye into the bloodstream.
- A radiographic image of blood vessels or heart chambers obtained after injection of a contrast medium.
"The cardiologist studied the angiogram carefully before recommending a stent."
"After the chest pain, doctors ordered a coronary angiogram to check for blocked arteries."
"The cerebral angiogram revealed a small aneurysm that had gone undetected for years."
Standard plural form; commonly used when discussing multiple scans or a series of images.
"The patient's file contained three angiograms taken over the past two years."
The word 'angiogram' literally means 'vessel picture' — it's Greek 'angeion' (a tiny vessel) fused with 'gramma' (something written), so every scan is, in a sense, writing your veins onto film.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of angiogram
The word angiogram comes from the Greek root 'angeion', meaning a small vessel or container, joined with '-gram', from Greek 'gramma' (something written or recorded), a suffix widely used in medical imaging terms. It emerged in early twentieth-century medical usage following the development of contrast-based vascular imaging. It shares its vessel root with related terms such as angina, angioplasty, and hemangioma.
Related word forms
How angiogram is actually used
A technical medical term used almost exclusively in clinical and healthcare contexts; laypeople encounter it when discussing diagnostic tests. It refers specifically to the image produced, not the procedure (angiography).
Easily confused with angiogram
Angiography is the imaging procedure itself, while an angiogram is the resulting X-ray image.
An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to image the heart, whereas an angiogram uses X-rays with injected contrast dye to image blood vessels.