A right cardiac catheterization (also called a right heart catheterization, pulmonary artery catheterization or a Swan-Ganz catheter) is a specialized procedure used to evaluate how well the heart is pumping. During the procedure, the doctor makes a small incision in a vein, typically in the groin (femoral vein), arm (cephalic vein), or neck (internal jugular vein). A long, thin tube called a catheter is gently guided through the vein into the right side of the heart and into the pulmonary artery. This allows measurement of the blood pressure and oxygen levels in the right heart chambers and the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs to receive oxygen.