What does PTCA stand for in cardiac catheterization?

• A. Pulmonary Transluminal Coronary Angiography
• B. Percutaneous Transverse Coronary Angioplasty
• C. Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty
• D. Percutaneous Transluminal Cardiac Angiography

Answer: (C)

PTCA stands for Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty. In this context, percutaneous means the procedure is done through the skin using a catheter. Transluminal indicates the device works within the lumen of a vessel. Coronary refers to the heart’s arteries, and angioplasty is the dilation of a narrowed vessel, typically with a balloon to widen the coronary artery and restore blood flow. This contrasts with imaging-focused terms like angiography, or with wrong anatomy such as pulmonary arteries, and with terms like transverse or cardiac instead of coronary.