The Heart & Vascular Institute of FL

Nuclear Stress Testing

You are scheduled for a Nuclear Medicine Stress Test. This procedure includes 2 sessions of heart pictures and a stress test using a treadmill or a special medication. Nuclear studies use a small amount of radioactivity, which is given to you through an IV in your arm. A special radiation-detecting camera will obtain pictures of your heart at rest and after exercise. This allows the physician to see how well your heart is functioning and if it is getting the proper blood supply.

Preparation:

NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK 4 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR TEST.

NO CAFFEINE OR DECAF products 24 hours prior to your study. This includes:

• Coffee Decaf. Coffee
• Tea Iced Tea
• Soda Decaf. Soda
• Chocolate candy Hot chocolate
• Chocolate cake, cookies, brownies, etc.

Drugs containing caffeine:

• Cafergot Fioricet Norgesic No-Doz
• Fiorinol Execedrin Anacin

Please avoid:

• Persantine Theophylline Amimophylline
• Theo-Dur Slo-Phylline Primatine

Take your medication the day of your test with a very small amount of water unless you were told by your Doctor to hold your medicine until after the test.

Please do not wear any powders, lotions, perfumes, cologne, or use a moisturizing soap the day of your study. You may wear deodorant and brush your teeth before the test.

Wear two piece clothing and comfortable shoes to walk on the treadmill.

Avoid clothing with metal buttons or snaps on the shirt. Female patients should avoid under wire bras and notify the technologist if you have breast prosthesis or implants.

It can be cool in the stress lab so you may want to wear pants and bring a sweater.

What to Expect

Upon arrival you will sign a consent form and an IV will be placed in your arm. A small amount of radioactive isotope will be injected through this IV. You will be asked to wait so that the radioactivity has time to circulate. You will not feel any different from this. You will then have a set of pictures taken that take approximately 30 minutes.

After your first scan, the stress portion of your study will begin. There are three different types:
1) Exercise - you will walk on a treadmill.

2) Adenosine - no treadmill is used in this study. You will be given a medicine called Adenosine, which will dilate your blood vessels in your heart. The diseased vessels will not dilate, which will be used to identify blockages.

3) Dobutamine - no treadmill is used in this study. You will be given a medicine called Dobutamine which will be used to speed your heart up just as if you were walking on the treadmill.

After your stress test, you will be asked to wait once again. The type of test you have will determine how long you wait. You may be asked to get something to eat. It is also a good idea to bring a book or magazine. One more set of pictures will be taken after your wait.

Your entire test will take approximately 2.5 to 4 hours, depending on the type of test and the day’s schedule. If your doctor asked for a “2-day” protocol, your test will last approximately 1-2 hours each day.