Offered at Our 5301 Vernon Ave. S. Location

Treadmill Stress Test with Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

A treadmill myocardial perfusion test is a nuclear medicine imaging procedure, ordered by your physician.  It is used to evaluate the coronary artery blood supply to your heart muscle.  Using a specialized camera, images of your heart are obtained when your heart is at rest and then again after a treadmill stress test.  A radiologist and cardiologist will compare both sets of images to determine if you have any narrowing or blockage of the arteries on your heart.

You will check in at our main reception desk.  The test will take approximately 3 hours.  You will be able to drive after the test.  There are no lasting side effects from this test.

Candidates For This Test:

Any patient who, under the assessment of your physician, has had one or more of the following:

• Chest Pain
• Shortness of Breath
• Abnormal EKG
• Previous Heart Attack
• Bypass Surgery
• Previous Angioplasty or Stent Placement

The patient may have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease such as:  Hypertention,  High Cholesterol, Diabetes, Smoking, Obesity or a Family History of Heart Disease.

IMPORTANT CANCELLATION INFORMATION:

It is very important to contact clinic scheduling 24 hours prior to your exam at 952-925-2200 in the event of a cancellation.  The imaging agents that are ordered for your exam are specifically tailored for you.  thus, they are expensive and they need to be cancelled the day prior to your test.

Patient Preparation:

• Absolutely NO caffeine for 24 hours is allowed prior to your test.  This includes all of the following:  COFFEE, DECAFFEINATED COFFEE, TEA, SODA (including those labeled "caffeine free"), CHOCOLATE, HOT COCOA.  ALSO  medications containing caffeine such as Anacin and Excedrin have to be avoided.
• If you take a BETABLOCKER (Atenolol, Metoprolol, Propranolol etc.)  DO NOT take it the evening before or the morning of your test unless you have been instructed otherwise by your physician.  Take all of your other medications as usual.
• Wear comfortable clothing, including a short sleeved shirt if possible.  Be sure there are NO METAL snaps, buttons, zippers or decorations near the chest area.  Wear shoes that are appropriate for walking on a treadmill.
• DO NOT SMOKE until the test is completed.
• You may have a light breakfast on the morning of your exam (toast, milk, juice, fruit, etc.)  Again,  NO CAFFEINE.

Patient Experience:

Part 1:  After registering, a nuclear medicine technologist or nurse will start an IV.  Then a small amount of a radioactive tracer (Thallium) will be injected into your IV.  Next, you will lie down on the scanning table.  You will need to raise your left arm over your head and keep it still.  The technologist will do as much as possible to make you comfortable.  Then the camera will take the resting scan of your heart.  The scan takes 22 minutes.

Part 2:  When your 1st scan is complete, you will be directed to the stress test waiting area where you may have a short wait.  Next, electrodes will be placed on your chest, and you will be connected to the cardiac monitor to record your heart rhythms before, during and after the stress test.  You will then walk on a treadmill which will get faster and increase in elevation every few minutes.  Your blood pressure will be taken periodically as well.  The nuclear technologist will inject a second radioactive tracer (Myoview) about a minute from the end of your treadmill test.  Once the treadmill has stopped and you have recovered, you will be sent back to the scanner for Part 3.

Part 3:  Upon returning to the scanner, your IV will be removed.  You will lie down on the scanning table and be positioned in the same manner as you were during the first scan.  The only difference is that you will be hooked up to 3 electrodes that were left on your chest from your stress test.  The second scan takes 22 minutes.  When your scan is complete, you will be allowed to leave.  There are no restrictions and you may resume normal activities.  Resume taking any medications you held prior to your exam.

After your Exam:

The physician who ordered your test will receive results of the exercise portion of your test the day of your study.  The nuclear images are sent to Abbott Northwestern Hospital electronically, where they are interpreted by a radiologist and cardiologist.  your physician should have the results of the scans within 24 hours.

Radiation Exposure:

The radiation dose your body received from the 2 radiotracer injections is comparable to that of a CAT (CT) scan.

Content provided by  Minneapolis Heart Institute