SHI BLOGS TOO

Myocardial Perfusion Scan

Yesterday I had to go to Bellingham to The Northwest Cardiology Center for my Myocardial Perfusion Scan. It was a heart scan involving two main parts. They are the Stress and Resting Studies. My doctor set up the testing because of the Ultra Sound Report on my legs a couple of months ago.

The traditional "Stress/Rest Thallium Scan" has, in many institutions been replaced by scans using Technetium (Tc99m) based myocardial perfusion (heart blood flow) agents. The first technetium based agent to gain acceptance was "Sestamibi" (or MIBI). This was the name of the radiopharmaceutical (radioactive tracer) which provided similar information to Thallium yet had the many advantages of the ideal imaging characteristics of Technetium. Next came along "Myoview" a Technetium based agent from a different company which once again could be used for myocardial perfusion imaging. All three provide similar information. One advantage of Sestamibi and Myoview was that the scans could be performed on one day (One Day Protocol) or over two days (Two Day Protocol).

My scan was performed on one day.

This test provided information such as Ejection Fraction (the percentage of blood pumped out when the heart contracts), wall motion information and also a better view of the perfusion to the heart muscle when the heart is filled with blood (end-systole) or when it has ejected the blood (end-diastole).

The whole testing period lasted 3 1/2 hours. It consisted of first "resting" then "scanning while resting", then "stress testing"- exercising on a treadmill, then "scanning after stress testing". During the first half a small amount of the radioactive tracer was injected into my bloodstream. A larger dose of the radioactive tracer was injected during the "stress test".

When I was finished I was radioactive!

No kidding. I'm serious. They post a sign in the waiting rooms that states to patients that they need a MEMO from the Center if anyone intends to fly anywhere or cross over the border within the next two weeks. The Memo clearly states what exactly was injected.

Well, I'm not flying or crossing the border anytime soon, so I need not worry about setting off anything!

I was very relieved to finish up the testing and get out of there...I got to admit I became somewhat apprehensive about the testing when I first entered the waiting room with Ron at my side. I looked around at the room filled with several other patients in their gowns waiting also. I did not like what I saw.

To me it looked as if they were on their way OUT!

I had this scary feeling come over me that in order for me to be in this room with all of them, I had to of had something very seriously wrong with me!

Well, to make a long story short here, I Passed the Myocardial Perfusion Scan testing! I got a phone call directly from the Center and I was told that my heart scan was NORMAL.

Yeah! What a relief.