1.  Age                        6.  High Cholesterol

    2.  Sex                        7.  High Blood Pressure

    3.  Family History      8.  Sedentary Lifestyle 

    4.  Race                      9.  Excess Weight 

    5.  Smoking               10.  Diabetes 

What is a Nuclear Stress Test? 

A Nuclear Stress Test is an exam that demonstrates the coronary artery blood flow to the heart.

This test is performed to see if the heart muscle is receiving the blood supply it needs by comparing stress images to rest images.

An injection of a radionuclide called Myoview, allows the heart to be imaged while the patient lies under a gamma camera.

The radionuclide will decay on its own (having a half life of only 6 hours). The radiation received by the patient is very minimal.  

Why is a Nuclear Stress Test done?

Diagnose coronary artery disease.  Your coronary arteries are the major blood vessels that supply your heart with blood, oxygen and nutrients.  Coronary artery disease is a condition that develops when these arteries become damaged or diseased – usually due to the buildup of deposits called plaques.

Look at the size and shape of your heart.  The images from a nuclear stress test can show your doctor if your heart is enlarged and can measure the pumping function (ejection fraction) of your heart.

Guide treatment of heart disorders.  If you’ve already been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, arrhythmia or another heart condition, a nuclear stress test can help your doctor find out how well treatment is working to relieve your symptoms. 

Evaluate the affectiveness of your heart medication.  Your current medications or their dose amounts maybe changed do to the results of this test.  It allows the physician the unique oppertunity to see how well your medication holds up during stress conditions you may incounter in your day to day life.

Help to develop a safe exercise program.  It may also be used to help establish the right treatment plan for you by determining how much exercise your heart can handle. 

How is a Nuclear Stress Test Performed?

The patient will receive an IV (intravenous line).

• The imaging drug Tc99m Myoview (This is NOT Contrast or Iodine) will be injected into the IV.
• Patients with kidney or liver problems are perfectly fine to have this procedure.
• The patient will then wait for 20 minutes while the medication circulates.
• A special camera will then scan the patients heart and create pictures to show how the substance has traveled through your blood and into your heart (Resting Images). 

Depending on the order and the patients capabilities they will be instructed to walk on a Treadmill.  If patient is unable to walk on a Treadmill, a Chemical Stress will be performed in its place.  Click Here to see the consent form and the differences between a Treadmill and Chemical Stress.

• After the Stress portion of the test is complete the Patient will wait another 20 minutes while the medication circulates once again.
• Again the patient's heart will be scanned under the camera (Stress Images).
• Our Cardiologist will interpret the EKG portion of your Stress and our Nuclear Radiologist will interpret the Image portion. Combining it into an easy to read report for you and your physician.
• The Report can help your doctor tell if you have heart disease or if your heart disease is becoming worse.