A special camera, called a gamma camera, detects the radiation released by the tracer to produce computer images of the heart. The stress response is induced by exercise or by intravenous pharmacological stimulation. I am 58 and had 3 stents after a heart attack about 4 months ago. Cardiac stress tests make the heart work hard so your doctor can see if it responds normally. With this test, your doctor will be better able to inform you of the possibility of coronary artery disease and overall health of your heart. The procedure is interpreted by a cardiologist certified in nuclear cardiology. The nuclear stress test takes a minimum of 2 hours, but could take up to 4 hours. A cardiac stress test also referred to as a cardiac diagnostic test, cardiopulmonary exercise test, or abbreviated cpx test is a cardiological test that measures the hearts ability to respond to external stress in a controlled clinical environment. Nuclear stress test definition of nuclear stress test by. Nuclear stress testing the new york heart center nuclear stress test department was established in 1999 and has provided exercise and pharmacological stress testing for over years. A nuclear stress test uses exercise or medicine to put stress on your heart. Outpatient nuclear stress test patient instructions wilson n.
So in patients with symptoms, the use of the stress test is clear, to identify the area blocked, and use that. Adding imagingwith sound waves ultrasound or echocardiography or a small dose of a radioactive substance nuclear cardiologycan make the test more accurate and help your doctor determine the location and severity of your. Cardiac excercise tolerance stress test worksheet pdf. A stress test can determine your risk of having heart disease. Your total time for nuclear stress procedure is 3 hours. The stress tests, in which all eu member states participated as well as switzerland and the ukraine, were originally conceived as targeted reassessments of the. A radioactive liquid is used to help your heart show up better in pictures. For more information or to make an appointment at urmc cardiology at highland hospital, please call 585 3416780 or visit us online at. How the test is performed this test is done at a medical center or health care providers office. Usually, a technologist with special training in nuclear medicine will conduct the test. There are two portions of the nuclear medicine stress test. An exercise stress test is not 100% accurateno medical test is, dr. The test can give infonnation about the size ofthe hearts chambers, how well the heart is pumping blood, and whether the heart has any damaged muscle. Before you start the test, a member of your health care team places sticky patches electrodes on your chest, legs and arms.
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, certain sodas, chocolate, and in certain medications. Imaging stress tests american society of nuclear cardiology. Your doctor will recommend stress test if you have signs of coronary artery diseases, angina or irregular heart beat. Ucva helping you to a healthy heart comments are turned off.
This is a stress test involving radioactive isotope substances. The main thing the nuclear stress test is looking for is myocardial perfusion. Generally, a test of the hearts functionsuch as an exercise ecg, nuclear stress test or stress echocardiogramis performed for this reason. A radioactive isotope called myoview or cardiolite is injected into the bloodstream and the heart is exercised by the patient walking on a. I am concerned about my upcoming nuclear stress tests. Avoid all products containing caffeine as well as decaffeinated products for 24 hours before the test. Please carefully read and comply with all instructions in order to avoid rescheduling 24 hours before your test no coffee or tea of any kind no. This video provides information on what a patient can expect if scheduled for a nuclear stress test at ucva. By definition, a nuclear stress test is done to measure your blood flow at states of rest, exertion, and medication. After registration you will be directed to the radiology waiting area. My concern is the radiation being injected into my blood. Eu stresstest national report of germany progress report. In people with symptoms such as chest pain on exertion, the stress test can often identify the area where the blockage is, and also give information about the extent of the problem, information that can be used to guide our management of these patients.
Myocardial perfusion is the blood flow to the muscle of the heart. This test helps us to know how our heart works during physical activity. From these sets of pictures, your doctor will be able to determine how well your blood is flowing through your heart when you are exercising and when you are at rest. Nuclear stress test instructions summit medical group. These images are used to assess the blood supply to the heart muscle at rest and during exercise or medicineinduced stress. Smart heart care patient education sheet nuclear medicine. Attached to this sheet is a list of medications you should not take in the 24 hours preceding your test. Nuclear stress test cheyenne regional medical center. During a nuclear stress test, a physician injects a small amount of a radioactive isotope into a persons bloodstream. Please telephone in advance if you cannot keep your appointment or if you have any questions about the test at 97852288 take your medication as you would on any other day do not take your beta blocker on the morning of the test, for example, toprol. Rather than doing the exercises the doctor may give medication which imitates the effects of exercising. Lexiscan nuclear stress test preparation instructions. Follow the instructions below to ensure the best possible test for you. The completion of nuclear stress test may take 2 to 5 hours.
Nuclear stress test information mount sinai new york. Please carefully read and comply with all instructions in order to avoid rescheduling. A nuclear stress test involves having pictures of your heart taken before and after exercise. You must be fasting except for water for 4 hours prior to the study. The electrodes are connected by wires to an electrocardiogram ecg or ekg machine. During a nuclear stress test, a tiny amount of radioactive substance a tracer is injected into your bloodstream. Stress test is also called as exercise stress test. A thallium stress test is a nuclear imaging test that shows how well blood flows into your heart while youre exercising or at rest. A nuclear stress test is a diagnostic exercise test thats used to evaluate blood flow to the heart. If you are unable to keep this testing appointment, you must call to cancel. The test can show the size of the hearts chambers and any damaged or dead muscle.
Although the procedure may vary, nuclear medicine heart rest stress tests all have a similar process. For patients who are unable to exercise adequately on the treadmill, the drug persantine may be given to produce an effect on the heart similar to exercise. When combined with stress, either through exercise or the use of a pharmacological agent, the nuclear scan helps determine if the heart muscle is. Test involves the strenuous exercise on an inclined treadmill and injection of radioactive nuclear dye. This substance mixes with your blood and travels to your heart.
The electrocardiogram records the electrical signals that trigger your heartbeats. The purpose of a stress test is to identify problems with blood supply to the heart muscle or the coronary arteries that supply it with blood. Cardiac stress tests urmc cardiology highland hospital. You may have a nuclear stress test ordered if you have coronary artery disease or if you have risk factors that indicate the possibility of coronary artery disease. Nuclear stress test instructions this test is designed to help your doctor determine how well the blood is flowing to your heart muscle. Outpatient nuclear stress test patient instructions. This test is designed to evaluate the coronary arteries and corresponding heart muscles. Patient instructions for nuclear stress test cardiac care associates. A nuclear stress test is one of several types of stress tests that may be performed alone or in combination. During the test, a small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into a vein. In a stress test, you walk on a treadmill that makes your heart work progressively harder. The lexiscan stress test involves injecting a medication called lexiscan into your iv while you are closely monitored. Preparing for a nuclear stress test greene county medical center. Once the cardiologist arrives in the room, your test will begin.
As the radiotracer decays, gamma radiation is emitted and is detected by a gamma camera. A nuclear stress test, which is also known as myocardial perfusion imaging, is a test which looks at the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Know what is a nuclear stress test, how much does it cost, what is its procedure. The test is usually done at a hospital or outpatient clinic that offers this type of imaging. This is carried out when at rest and also with exercise.
Nuclear stress test information atlanta heart group. Please schedule time accordingly please remember, only patients will be allowed into to the testing area. Nuclear stress test worksheet pdf, myocardial perfusion image. This test is done at a medical center or health care providers office. A snack will be provided for you after the stress portion of your exam, if you would like, you may bring your own snack to eat when instructed.
Notify your technologist before leaving to receive written documentation. Nuclear stress test is an imaging method that uses radioactive material to show how well blood flows into the heart muscle, both at rest and during activity. Smart heart care patient education sheet introduction a nuclear medicine stress test uses small amounts of radioactive substances that are injected into a vein to produce images of the heart. The stress test for a site should focus on measures that can be taken after a loss or degradation of safety systems that protect against the set of regulatorydefined design accidents. The pictures help your healthcare provider compare blood flow to your heart muscle during rest and stress. A nuclear exercise stress test is a diagnostic test used to evaluate blood flow to the heart. A nuclear stress test includes all the steps of a regular stress test but adds a few extra so your cardiologist can see how well blood is flowing to your heart. Please telephone in advance if you cannot keep your appointment or if you have any questions about the test at 97852288 1. Nuclear stress testing utilizes nuclear medicine imaging to aid in. To see the efficiency of blood flow through your heart and spot any potential blockages, nuclear cardiology boardcertified doctors may conduct a nuclear stress test.
This test will help determine whether your heart arteries have become narrowed or blocked. The test will be performed at one diamond hill road, berkeley heights. If you are more than 30 minutes late, expect for your procedure to be rescheduled. Nuclear stress testing is performed to evaluate patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. Nuclear stress testing is an important test for the evaluation of patients with suspected or. Caffeine will interfere with the results of your stress test. Download, print, and read the detailed instructions for stress myocardial perfusion test pdf. Wear loose fitting comfortable clothing, sneakers or walking.
Outpatient nuclear stress test patient instructions patient. Nuclear stress test in houston the woodlands conroe accc. Ask the doctors the system is a noninvasive electrophysiology based device and is therefore significantly more costeffective than other tests such as a ct scan, nuclear stress test or coronary angiogram. Concerns about nuclear stress test support network home. This test requires the patient to exercise on a treadmill while being monitored by ekg to assess for any changes in the ekg during the stress of exercise. Cardiac stress tests types of stress testing exercise treadmill stress test. Before the scan, a nurse or technician will put sticky electrode patches on your chest, arms and legs, just as with a regular stress test.
If you are traveling by air or driving across the border within 24 to 48 hours after your test, you may set off the radiation sensors. You will be asked to walk on a treadmill to stress the heart. The standard test involves measuring the hearts electrical activity with an electrocardiogram ecg while the patient stresses his or her heart with exercise, which usually means walking on a. They are used to find out if your heart muscle receives enough blood supply during exercise. Stress testing is a painless, safe method to measure how well the heart responds to exertion from exercise. A nuclear stress test is an imaging study which takes pictures of the heart muscle when it is at rest and after it has been stressed from exercise.
Your doctor has recommended that you have a nuclear stress test. Compared with an exercise stress test, a nuclear stress test can help better determine your risk of a heart attack or other cardiac event if your doctor knows or suspects that you have coronary artery disease. This is a noninvasive method of detecting heart disease. This pamphlet is not intended to replace an informed conversation with your doctor but to provide you with a general understanding of the procedure. Pictures of your heart are taken before and after you exercise or get medicine. If you are unable to walk, we may administer a medication to simulate exercise and ask you to march in place or swing your legs to help distribute the.