Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, also called a Nuclear Stress Test, is used to assess coronary artery disease, or CAD. CAD is the narrowing of arteries to the heart by the build up of fatty materials.
CAD may prevent the heart muscle from receiving adequate blood supply during stress or periods of exercise. This frequently results in chest pain, which is called angina pectoris. Perfusion imaging usually consists of stress and rest tests.
Images are taken of your heart while at rest and after exercising or under stress. The comparison allows your physician to evaluate blood flow under different levels of exertion. After the images are reviewed, they’ll meet with you to discuss the results.
Normal or abnormal, what does it mean?
A normal test result indicates there is sufficient and unrestricted blood flow to your heart, both during periods of rest and exercise. Generally, there’s little concern for coronary artery disease and, in most cases, you won’t require any further testing.
An abnormal result, which means your heart’s blood flow is insufficient, may occur only during the exercise phase of your stress test. During rest, your blood flow may be normal, but during strenuous activity, when your heart is working harder, it may not be getting the blood supply it needs. It’s likely that there is some level of coronary artery disease or blockage.
An abnormal result in both phases of your stress test is an indication that your heart’s blood flow is poor, regardless of your exertion level. The restricted blood flow suggests significant coronary artery disease. If your stress test images show areas of the heart that are not highlighted with the radioactive isotope, it may also be an indication of scar or damaged tissue caused by a previous heart attack.
Regardless of the results, your doctor will explain the findings and address your concerns. If necessary, they’ll recommend a treatment plan that can potentially improve or better manage your heart’s function.