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Persantine Nuclear Stress Test

Doctors use a nuclear stress test to measure blood flow to the heart and main coronary arteries. The test is also used to detect signs of coronary artery disease. In the Persantine version of the stress test, patients are injected with a small amount of a radioactive isotope, which allows doctors to take an accurate picture of the heart while the patient is resting comfortably

  1. Preparing for the Test

    • Before taking a stress test of this kind, patients should make sure they follow all directions from their doctors. Generally, patients should not eat or drink anything but water six hours before the procedure, and not ingest anything with caffeine 24 hours before the procedure, including prescription and over-the-counter medication with caffeine. Patients should not smoke or use tobacco products six hours before the procedure. Diabetics may have to alter their insulin dosage before the procedure, as well.

    Persantine's Effect

    • In many cases, doctors use a stress test that involves putting the patient through exercise on a treadmill or a stationary bike. In a Persantine nuclear stress test, the patient takes the test while they're seated or lying down. Once the patient is comfortable, Persantine is injected into the bloodstream. It opens up the blood vessels in the heart, producing the same effect as exercise. Persantine is used in many cases when putting the patient through a more traditional stress test could be harmful.

    The Nuclear Material

    • What makes the test a nuclear stress test is the radioactive material that is injected into the bloodstream once the Persantine has taken effect in the bloodstream. In most cases, Thallium is used as a "tracer," which doctors trace through the patient's body. The amount of Thallium injected into the body is safe and usually amounts to no more than 700 millirads.

    The Test

    • As the radioactive material moves through the bloodstream, doctors can trace its path to the heart. They do so in two ways. First, doctors use electrodes attached to the patient's chest to track the heartbeat via an electrocardiogram (EKG). Later, the patient heads to the radiology department for a 30-minute scan, which takes pictures of the heart. These pictures can measure the patient's heart walls and muscles. Light spots on the images indicate that Thallium is having a difficult time moving through that part of the heart, thus indicating a possible blockage. The patient must have another image taken about three to four hours after the first pictures, when the Persantine has dissipated from the system.

    The Test's Uses

    • The primary goals of any nuclear stress test are to detect possible blockages or narrowing of coronary arteries, a sign of coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease can limit blood flow to the heart or coronary arteries, putting the patient at risk for a heart attack. This type of stress test is also used for patients that have had a heart attack recently.

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