Covenant Heart InstituteWomen's Heart ServicesInformación De la Salud De las Mujeres
Programs and ServicesWomen's Health InformationPatient CenterAssessing RiskExercise and Nutrition

 
Nuclear Cardiology

Nuclear cardiology is a term used for tests that use small amounts of injected radioactive material to obtain information about the heart. These tests, often called a scan, will produce information about the function of the heart and the condition of coronary arteries. The radioactive materials used in the tests are very safe, because they rapidly change into a non-radioactive form.

With this technology, the nuclear cardiologist can assess the heart muscle and determine if a patient has coronary artery disease.

 

·          Resting SPECT Thallium Scan or Myocardial Perfusion Scan
A nuclear scan given while the patient is at rest that may reveal areas of the heart muscle that are not getting enough blood. 

·          Stress Thallium Dual Isotope
A nuclear scan given to a patient who is unable to exercise to reveal areas of the heart muscle that are not getting enough blood.

·          Dual Isotope Persantine Thallium
A nuclear scan given to a patient who is unable to exercise to reveal areas of the heart muscle that are not getting enough blood.

·          Dobutamine Dual Isotope Stress Thallium
A nuclear scan given to a patient who is unable to exercise to reveal areas of the heart muscle that are not getting enough blood.

·          MUGA Scans/Radionuclide Angiography (RNA) Scans

 


© 2005 Covenant Heart Institute