Cardiac catheterization techniques in pulmonary hypertension.

Once considered dangerous and potentially life threatening, cardiac catheterization of the patient with pulmonary hypertension can be performed safely and provides essential information in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension. This article summarizes the modern techniques used for right-heart catheterization, selective pulmonary angiography, and pulmonary angioscopy in the evaluation of the patient with pulmonary hypertension or suspected chronic thromboembolic disease.