Nuclear Stress Test

What is a nuclear stress test?

A nuclear stress test is an in-office diagnostic procedure that assesses the adequacy of blood flow through your heart when it’s pumping hard. 

During the test, your cardiologist administers a small, safe amount of a pharmacological radionuclide and uses a specialized camera to capture images of your heart when at rest and when pumping hard.  

Why would I need a nuclear stress test?

Your provider at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona explains in detail why you need a nuclear stress test. 

They might recommend the diagnostic procedure to determine the underlying cause of your heart-related symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, if test results were inconclusive. 

They also perform a nuclear stress test to diagnose coronary artery disease and reevaluate heart health after implementing treatments to improve your diagnosis. 

What happens during a nuclear stress test?

Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona conducts your nuclear stress test at the office, which may take up to four hours. 

Your provider reviews your medical history and exercise routine, then places an intravenous (IV) line in your arm and injects the radionuclide dye. Your provider takes pictures of your heart at rest 20-40 minutes after administering the dye.

Your provider attaches electrodes to your chest and abdomen to measure your heart’s electrical activity while it’s pumping hard. The team at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona may have you walk on a treadmill or give you medication to increase your heart rate.

You receive another injection of the radionuclide dye when you reach the target heart rate. Your provider takes another set of pictures 20-40 minutes after the injection.  

What happens after a nuclear stress test?

After your nuclear stress test, your provider reviews the results with you. The findings may indicate low blood flow to certain areas of your heart or even heart damage from a heart attack. 

The team at Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona provides specific instructions on what happens next based on your nuclear stress test results. 

There’s no downtime following a nuclear stress test, and you can go back to your usual day after the test.

Affiliated Cardiologists of Arizona is a full-service cardiology practice. For comprehensive cardiac care from an experienced team, call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.