The extremities refer to the hands, arms, feet, and legs. The arteries are not normally seen in an X-ray , so a contrast material is injected into one or more arteries to make them visible. X-rays are then taken of the blood flow through the area of interest. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation (like radio waves or light). The wavelength is very short and is capable of penetrating the body and producing a shadow picture of the structures inside the body. Some of the X-rays are absorbed by the body tissues, while other X-rays will pass through. The denser tissues, such as a bone, appear on the film as white. Less dense tissues, such as muscles, appear as gray; and air on the X-ray appears as black.

Alternative Names

Angiography/arteriography of the extremity