Cardiac perfusion scan

This is a test to compare the blood supply to your heart muscle under rest and stress conditions (similar to exercise). It is done on two separate visits, firstly a rest study and secondly a stress study. By comparing the images taken on both visits, we will be able to see if there are any problems with the blood vessels supplying your heart muscle.

There is no preparation required for the first visit, but you must take a list of your medication with you so you can be given advice on how to prepare for the second (stress) study. When you arrive you will be given an injection in your arm of a small amount of radioactivity that will be absorbed by your heart muscle. You will be given a small glass of milk to drink. The milk helps the radioactivity to clear from your liver, which lies very close to the heart, and improves the quality of the images.

You will be asked to wait about an hour before it is time for your images, during which time you can leave the department. We will attach ECG leads to your chest in order to monitor your heart rate and you will be required to lie on your back with your arms above your head while the gamma camera moves around your chest taking images. It will not go over your head, nor will you go through a tunnel.

After the Technologist has checked the images, you will be able to go home. You will be given some instructions on preparation for the second visit – the stress study.

For the stress study, you will be asked to stop taking ALL caffeine for 24 hours. This is most important as caffeine will prevent the stress medicine from working and will result in a failed study. You may also be asked to stop some of your medication – this will be explained during your first visit.

When you arrive for the stress study, we will put a small cannula (drip) into your arm and connect you to ECG and blood pressure monitors. During the stress study we will give you a short infusion (six minutes) of a medicine that simulates the effects of exercise and also give you the radioactive injection. During the stress study the medicine may make you feel as though you are doing some exercise but these feelings go away very quickly once the drip is removed.

After the stress is finished you will be given the milk and asked to wait an hour before the same picture are taken as on the first visit.

After both sets of images are completed, the technologist will check them and you will be able to go home. We will not be able to give you the result of the study immediately but a written report will be sent to the doctor who referred you. There are no side effects from the test.