the invention is a delivery catheter , e . g ., a guide catheter , having an imaging element in proximity to the distal end of the catheter . catheters of the invention are able to placement of the catheter in proximity to an ostium , thereby increasing the efficiency of contrast delivery while reducing the risk of ischemia due to blocked blood supply . the invention additionally assists in maintaining catheter position during delivery of a fluid from the catheter , resulting in better performance with less fluid . for example , a catheter of the invention can be used to produce improved fluoroscopic images with less overall contrast . this improvement reduces the risk of an allergic reaction to the contrast while decreasing the length of time for a procedure , i . e ., because of a need to re - contrast .