A myocardial perfusion scan is an imaging test that is done to check how well blood flows through the heart muscle. It also gives a picture of how well the heart muscle is pumping. The test is also called a nuclear stress test. This examination is also done post a heart attack to find areas of damaged heart muscles. This test can be performed when a person is resting or working out.

Why is this test needed?
This scan is done to check how well blood flows to a person’s heart while exercising or while one is at rest. A doctor might ask a person to get the test done if one has chest pain, a recent heart attack, or heart disease. If the blood is not flowing properly, it indicates that a person suffers from heart disease. One might be asked to get a stress myocardial perfusion scan done if:

One has chest pain which is either new or has been occurring for some time.
To check if there is heart muscle damage after a heart attack.
To check the status of coronary artery disease, which might be narrowing the coronary arteries.
If there is any plague build-up or other issues that can increase the risk of another cardiac event.
To assess blood flow to areas of the heart muscles after a bypass surgery, stent placement, or angioplasty.
To check the patterns of blood flow to the heart walls.
To see if the arteries are blocked and by how much.

Results of the test
One can get the test results within a few days after taking the test. A normal report indicates that the tracer has spread evenly throughout one’s heart and didn’t get collected in any particular area. An abnormal result indicates that one’s heart is not pumping as well as it should. This can happen when one has heart damage. Myocardial perfusion scans diagnose heart failure, coronary artery disease, and heart attack risk.

Cost
The cost of a myocardial perfusion scan is somewhere between $801 to $2960. One can check with an insurance agent if the charge of the test can be covered under an insurance claim or not.

How to prepare for the test?
A myocardial perfusion scan with a stress test can take up to 3 hours. If there is no rest or baseline portion, this can be done in 1 hour. One can prepare for the test by:

Taking some time off work.
Wearing comfortable and loose clothes and shoes.
One shouldn’t drink any beverage that contains caffeine for 24 hours before the time of the test.

Risks or side effects
Risks of the scan can include chest pain, allergic reactions, and other:

Allergic reaction: If one is taking any preparations for treating any heart disease, one might feel anxious, shaky, dizzy, or have chest pain for a short period.

Radiation: The needle pricked to conduct the test might cause some pain. One may feel slight discomfort during the insertion of the radioactive tracer. Though radiation exposure is low, it can still cause side effects. Also, the more scans one undergoes the higher one’s radiation exposure.

Chest pain: If the exercise part of the test is conducted, one’s body might show instances of chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, etc. This is due to the stress on the heart caused by physical activity.

Pregnancy: If one is pregnant, one should inform the doctor well in advance because the tracer may expose the fetus to a small amount of radiation.

Discomfort: When a person is lying on the examination table, one might feel discomfort due to the longer duration of the scan. In this case, one must let the healthcare provider know if one feels uncomfortable.

A myocardial perfusion scan uses a small amount of radioactive chemicals to check how well blood flows through the cardiac muscles. Generally, this test is performed after gentle exercise to check how the heart responds when it is put under stress. Before conducting this examination, the healthcare practitioner prepares a person for these tests. One may be asked to pause taking any treatment a few days before the scan or not to have caffeine before the test. Depending upon the medical condition, the doctor might request other specific preparation. Usually, there are no complications related to this test, but one might be exposed to some radiation during the test. In case one is pregnant or breastfeeding, informing the doctor about the situation is important. The scan is done in two parts- stress and rest, so it is best to check with the physician first.