Interventional cardiology is a type of specialized cardiology that diagnoses and treats heart disease using a thin tube called a catheter that’s inserted into an artery or vein in the wrist or groin and guided to the heart.
Through a catheter, the interventional cardiologist can place stents that keep blood vessels open or a device to treat a heart-valve disorder. Using the same methods, your doctor can also evaluate the heart – if it’s pumping properly and if the valves open and close as they should – with a test that combines X-rays and dye injected into the veins.