Nuclear Stress Test

In addition to an exercise stress test a nuclear stress test allows for imaging of the heart before and after stress. A radio-pharmaceutical is injected at rest, and after stress. Pictures of the heart are then compared between rest and stress to evaluate the uptake of the radio-pharmaceutical. This allows the Cardiologist to evaluate for potential blockages in the coronary arteries. If you are not able to exercise on a treadmill, a medicine can be injected to essentially simulate exercise at a physiologic level in the body. This is often referred to as a “chemical stress test.”

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