A catheter which curls up at one or both ends when threads are pulled to anchor it in place.

Different from an aneurysm in that the inner two layers of an artery have ruptured, and the aneurysm is only contained by the tunica adventitia. There is a risk that this weak layer will break, leading to further bleeding. This can be caused during an endovascular procedure, or by trauma, and in inflammatory conditions like pancreatitis.

A digital subtraction angiogram showing only the contrast-enhanced artery, as a negative. This can be stored as a reference for the positions of wires and catheters within the lumen of a vessel without repeatedly injecting contrast.

A short fluoroscopy “video” where contrast is injected through a catheter and blood-flow can be observed.

The quality of blood flow after a stenosis. If all vessels have good flow (lots of contrast) then treatment is more likely to be beneficial. But if the runoff is reduced by more atherosclerosis, then treating a single point may not make a difference.

Literally “therapy to harden”. This usually means injection of a detergent (sclerosant) into varicose veins to cause them to seal up.

Medication which causes relaxation and pain relief, but not general anaesthesia. The patient is usually able to follow instructions, and protect their airway.

A technique named after a Swedish radiologist where a wire inserted through a needle is used to guide a tube into the lumen of a vessel or duct.

A large tube sited in a vessel to allow catheters and wires to be placed and removed through this during a procedure

A point of narrowing, which can disrupt flow. Stricture means the same thing but stenosis usually refers to blood vesssels.

A tubular cage which pushes out to keep a vessel open rather than keep something inside. These start folded up and are deployed at a target

A stent with a plastic sheet covering the metal struts. This prevents blood flow and can be used to block off an aneurysm or bleeding from a damaged vessel.