Exercise Myocardial Perfusion Study using Thallium-201 or Cardiolite or Myoview

Information for our Nuclear Medicine Patients

* Inform your physician if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Overview

The distribution of blood flow to the myocardium is evaluated with this test.

Indications

Suspicion of coronary artery disease

Evaluation of chest pain

Evaluation of myocardial perfusion abnormalities before and after therapy

Detection of hibernating myocardium

Exercise Myocardial Perfusion Study using Thallium-201 or Cardiolite or Myoview

An Exercise Myocardial Perfusion Study involves the use of small amounts of radioactive materials. The level of radioactivity used is extremely low and has no side effects. You will be positioned next to a special detector called a gamma camera. The camera does not produce any radiation. It will be placed close to the part of your body being imaged.

 

Patient Preparation

You can have no food or drink 4-6 hours before the exam. You can have no products containing caffeine 24 hours before the exam (i.e. no decaffeinated or regular coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, Anacin, Excedrin, etc.). If not contraindicated by your physician, do not take Beta-blockers for 48 hours prior to the exam and Calcium channel medication 24 hours prior to the exam. Wear or bring comfortable clothing / shoes to the exam as you will be asked to exercise on a treadmill. Informed consent will be obtained.

If you have ever been diagnosed with Left Bundle Branch Block, please notify your

Physician or the nuclear medicine department (telephone number listed below).

Your exercise test may need to be rescheduled as a Persantine Stress Test.

Procedure

Cardiolite or Myoview

An I.V. catheter will be started in your arm and you will be injected with Cardiolite or

Myoview. After waiting at least 1 hour you will be positioned on your back and the gamma camera will rotate around your heart. This scan will take about 35 minutes. You will then go to the treadmill room where 12 electrodes will be placed on your chest to monitor your heart rate. You will exercise on a treadmill with a doctor present. You will be injected again with another dose of Cardiolite or Myoview when your heart rate reaches a certain speed. There will be at least a 15-20 minute wait and then you will return to the gamma camera where a second set of pictures of your heart will be taken.

The pictures take 15-20 minutes.

Thallium

You will report to the Cardiovascular Testing Department where an I.V. catheter will be started in your arm and 12 electrodes will be placed on your chest to monitor your heart rate. You will exercise on a treadmill with a doctor present. You will be injected with another dose of Thallium when your heart rate reaches a certain speed. After the treadmill you will be immediately taken to Nuclear Medicine for a scan of your heart that takes 15-20 minutes. At the completion of the scan you will be instructed to return 3 hours later so that a second set of pictures of your heart can be taken.

The pictures take 15-20 minutes.

Further Information

Contact Terre Haute Medical Laboratory Nuclear Medicine at 812.238.7542