Nuclear stress test | Thalium stress test

Introduction

Nuclear stress test is a procedure done for the patients with myocardial ischemia.

This test is other ways known as thallium stress test.

Preparation for cardiac nuclear stress test

The patient is advised to remove the clothes above the waist.

He/she will be given gown to wear.

The patient should not take any drugs which changes the heart rate for 36 to 48 hours prior to the test.

Especially in asthmatic patients drugs like Theophylline and Aminophylline are prohibited.

Because the these drugs are known to increases the heart rate significantly.

How the cardiac nuclear test is performed

The patient is given the exertion using exertion using Tread Mill Test or heart stress test

The patient is advised to do the exercise until he/she reaches the projected heart rate or symptoms of angina, breathlessness or tiredness of legs.

Usually up to 15 minutes the patient may do the exercise.

Then he/she is injected Thalium-201 radio active dye in the veins.

The patient is asked to stop the exercise and lie down over the examination table.

The dye injected in the vein circulates through the body and accumulated in the heart finally.

A gamma camera is focused over the patients heart to take images.

Then the patient is allowed for 3 to 4 hours of complete rest.

The patient should not take any drinks like coffee, coco and chocolate

Again the dye is injected and the recording is taken using nuclear camera.

Interpretation of nuclear stress test

The heart muscles are filled with thallium dye shown as picture the computer monitor.

The level of uptake Thallium dye indicates the level of blood flow in the coronary arteries.

If the radio image is completely absent indicates the severe block and myocardial infarction or death of heart muscle at that particular area.

If the thallium uptake is improved after rest indicates mild ischemia and

Absence of flow of dye indicates the complete blockage heart muscle damage.

Risk factors for nuclear stress test

There is no risk factors found for this test and

The Thallium dye not known to be allergic to the patients.

Return from nuclear stress test to diagnosis of heart attack