Please report to Admitting 15 minutes before your scheduled exam time.
PREP: Nothing to eat 12 hours prior to exam time. No caffeine 24-48 hours prior to exam time. Can drink water.
PURPOSE: Detection and evaluation of coronary artery disease, viability of dysfunctional myocardium, acute MI, chest pain, shortness of breath, or risk of myocardial events.
WHAT TO EXPECT: You will need an IV started in your hand for the test. After the IV is in place, the technologist will inject you with a radioactive isotope in order to image your heart. After a brief wait, resting imaging will take place. Next you will either walk on a treadmill to increase your heart rate or have a pharmalogic stress agent infused for those unable to walk adequately on a treadmill. The technologist will then inject you a second time with a radioactive isotope for post exercise imaging.
TIME FRAME: 2-4 hours
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS: Minimal to no side effects from the radioactive isotope. Possible headache from pharmalogic infusion.
IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, INFORM THE TECHNOLOGIST BEFORE THE EXAM