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Stanford Health Care

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Our Approach

Your heart muscle needs a steady flow of blood to function well and stay healthy. Myocardial perfusion imaging is a noninvasive method for evaluating this blood flow. We also use the scans to look for damage after a heart attack and to determine if previous treatment has helped.

While perfusion assessment may reqire you to exercise, the testing process is safe and painless.

What is Myocardial Perfusion Imaging?

Make An Appointment

To request an appointment with an interventional cardiologist, call 650-725-2621.

About Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Myocardial refers to your heart’s muscle, while perfusion refers to blood flow. Taking images of your myocardial perfusion is a type of nuclear medicine, meaning we inject a small and safe amount of radioactive substance into your blood.

Known as radionuclides or tracers, the injectable substances travel to your heart and come in different forms, depending on their exact testing purpose. One type binds to the calcium released after a heart attack, while another is absorbed by healthy heart tissue. Regardless of their mission, they show up on a special camera and provide our cardiologists with a road map for diagnosis or treatment.

Myocardial perfusion imaging helps cardiologists:

  • Identify suspected areas of restricted blood flow, before recommending a cardiac catheterization
  • Determine if they should look for non-heart related causes of chest pain
  • Assess damage after a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of earlier treatments, including:

What to Expect

Some preparations are required before a myocardial perfusion scan is performed, as well as some steps to follow before and after the procedure. Learn more about what to expect below.

  • Before

  • During

  • After

Before the Procedure

Your doctor will explain the procedure and offer you the opportunity to ask questions about the procedure. You will need to refrain from eating or drinking anything that contains caffeine for at least 24 hours prior to the procedure.

Notify your doctor of all medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and herbal supplements.

Notify your doctor if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant.

Based upon the medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation.

During the Procedure

A resting myocardial perfusion scan may be performed on an outpatient basis or as part of your hospital stay. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and the doctor’s practices.

Generally, a resting myocardial perfusion scan follows this process:

  1. You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that may interfere with the procedure.
  2. You will be asked to remove clothing and will be given a gown to wear.
  3. An intravenous (IV) line will be started in your hand or arm.
  4. You will be connected to an ECG machine with leads and a blood pressure cuff that will be placed on your arm.
  5. You will lie flat on a table in the procedure room.
  6. The radionuclide will be injected into a vein in your arm or hand.
  7. After the medication has circulated through your body (10 to 60 minutes depending upon the radioactive tracer being used), the scanner will begin to take pictures of your heart. In a special kind of imaging test, called SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), the scanner will rotate around you as it takes pictures.
  8. You will be lying flat on a table while the images of their heart are obtained. Your arms will be positioned on a pillow above your head. It will be necessary for you to lie very still while the images are being taken, as movement can adversely affect the quality of the images.
  9. If you experience any symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, extreme shortness of breath, or severe fatigue at any point during the procedure, let the doctor or technologist know.
  10. After the scan is complete, the IV line will be discontinued, and you will be allowed to leave, unless your doctor instructs you differently.

After the Procedure

You should move slowly when getting up from the scanner table to avoid any dizziness or lightheadedness from lying flat for the length of the procedure.

You will be instructed to drink plenty of fluids and empty their bladder frequently for 24 to 48 hours after the test to help flush the remaining radionuclide from their bodies.

The IV site will be checked for any signs of redness or swelling. If you notice any pain, redness, and/or swelling at the IV site after they return home following their procedure, you should notify your doctor as this may indicate an infection or other type of reaction.

The doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.

Before

Before the Procedure

Your doctor will explain the procedure and offer you the opportunity to ask questions about the procedure. You will need to refrain from eating or drinking anything that contains caffeine for at least 24 hours prior to the procedure.

Notify your doctor of all medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and herbal supplements.

Notify your doctor if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant.

Based upon the medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation.


close Before
During

During the Procedure

A resting myocardial perfusion scan may be performed on an outpatient basis or as part of your hospital stay. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and the doctor’s practices.

Generally, a resting myocardial perfusion scan follows this process:

  1. You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that may interfere with the procedure.
  2. You will be asked to remove clothing and will be given a gown to wear.
  3. An intravenous (IV) line will be started in your hand or arm.
  4. You will be connected to an ECG machine with leads and a blood pressure cuff that will be placed on your arm.
  5. You will lie flat on a table in the procedure room.
  6. The radionuclide will be injected into a vein in your arm or hand.
  7. After the medication has circulated through your body (10 to 60 minutes depending upon the radioactive tracer being used), the scanner will begin to take pictures of your heart. In a special kind of imaging test, called SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), the scanner will rotate around you as it takes pictures.
  8. You will be lying flat on a table while the images of their heart are obtained. Your arms will be positioned on a pillow above your head. It will be necessary for you to lie very still while the images are being taken, as movement can adversely affect the quality of the images.
  9. If you experience any symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, extreme shortness of breath, or severe fatigue at any point during the procedure, let the doctor or technologist know.
  10. After the scan is complete, the IV line will be discontinued, and you will be allowed to leave, unless your doctor instructs you differently.

close During
After

After the Procedure

You should move slowly when getting up from the scanner table to avoid any dizziness or lightheadedness from lying flat for the length of the procedure.

You will be instructed to drink plenty of fluids and empty their bladder frequently for 24 to 48 hours after the test to help flush the remaining radionuclide from their bodies.

The IV site will be checked for any signs of redness or swelling. If you notice any pain, redness, and/or swelling at the IV site after they return home following their procedure, you should notify your doctor as this may indicate an infection or other type of reaction.

The doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.


close After