What do the results mean?
By observing how the dye flows through the blood vessels in your brain, doctors can determine if you have bleeding in the brain, if any of the blood vessels are blocked and narrowed and how much, and what the cause of the stroke might be.
A normal angiogram test result will show that the anatomy of your arteries is normal, the dye flows smoothly through the vessels, and there is no narrowing, blockage, or bleeding.
Abnormal results are areas where the dye flows slowly or not at all, indicating that the vessel is narrowed or blocked by atherosclerosis or blood clots. Depending on the severity and your previous symptoms, this may mean that you have had, or at risk for, a blocked-vessel (ischemic) stroke or TIA. Dye that leaks outside the blood vessels indicates that there may be a hole or tear in a blood vessel, which could mean a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke.
The results of a head or neck angiogram can be used to decide whether you need medication or a procedure to prevent or treat stroke, and to determine which treatment option is best for you.1
