What is a
Nuclear Cardiac Study?
Cardiolite is a radioactive tracer which attaches to a protein in the blood, circulates to the heart through the flow of blood and is deposited in the heart muscle. A gamma camera is then used to create an image which provides information about the relative adequacy of supply of blood to various parts of the coronary circulation. Images obtained prior to and immediately after exercise are compared to detect scarring from heart damage and/or reduced blood flow due to narrowed arteries.
Additional information is gleaned from measurements of the heart cavity size and vigour of contraction. This information is important in the elucidation of chest pain and shortness of breath in individuals with an abnormal ECG, which reduces the diagnostic accuracy of the Stress ECG and in patients who cannot exercise on a treadmill, in whom a chemical called Persantine is injected into a vein to reproduce the effect of exercise.
What to Expect
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You will have a small needle inserted into a vein in your arm. A small amount of cardiolite is injected through the vein and you lie under the camera for several minutes to obtain a “before” image. You will then walk on a treadmill or receive an injection of Persantine into your vein. You will then receive a second injection and will lie under the camera for a few more minutes to obtain the “after” image. The amount of radiation absorbed by your body during this test is about the same as from a chest X-ray.
How to Prepare
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You should not eat or drink for three hours before your test and you should not consume any coffee and caffeinated beverage for 24 hours before the procedure. Other instructions, such as the taking of medications will be provided to you individually, depending on you specific condition.
Travel Advice
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If you plan to travel within 48 hours after a nuclear test, you should know that detectors at airports and vehicular border crossings will detect the small amounts of residual radiation in your body and may cause delays in some cases.
