MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION SCAN - REST FIRST

MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION SCAN - REST FIRST Information Leaflet Your Health. Our Priority.

of 6 What is a Myocardial Perfusion Scan? (MPI) This test is used to assess the blood flow to your heart wall muscle (myocardium) using a radioactive tracer. Two scans are carried out over two days: the rest scan and the stress scan where the heart is stressed by medication. The test identifies differences in the blood flow to your heart wall muscle between rest and stress which may be causing your symptoms. Day1 - Your Rest Scan Do I need to prepare for the Rest Scan? The following instructions are for your Rest appointment, please read them carefully Please allow 3 hours for this part of your test Please do not rush to your appointment; your heart needs to be resting so please allow plenty of time Have a light meal at least 3 hours before your appointment Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing Please bring something to eat containing fatty food e.g. cheese or egg mayonnaise sandwich and a fizzy drink e.g. coke or you may go to the hospital café or restaurant. Do not eat or drink until asked by a member of staff to do so Please inform us if you have a latex allergy What will happen during the Rest appointment? On arrival you will be asked to sit down and rest for 15 minutes You will be given an injection of radioactive tracer into a vein in your arm or hand, similar to a blood test. You should not feel any side effects You will be then given instructions about eating and drinking Approximately 1 hour following your injection your scan will be carried out The scan involves lying on the scanning couch with both your arms (where possible) supported above your head. The distribution of tracer is scanned by the Gamma Camera which moves slowly round your chest for about 25 minutes Occasionally it is necessary to repeat the scan if the heart wall muscle is not clearly shown, this will usually be carried out after about 30 minutes You may be scanned out of turn depending on your medical history Refer to the enclosed leaflet Nuclear Medicine Scans

of 6 Day 2 - Your Stress Scan Do I need to prepare for the Stress Scan? The following instructions are for your STRESS appointment, please read them carefully. Thank-you for providing information about your medication, please follow the instructions below. Should your medication change, please let us know before you attend. Please allow 3 hours for this part of the test Do not eat or drink anything containing caffeine from 6.00 pm on the night before your test until after this part of your test is finished You must not drink tea, coffee, cocoa, cola or diet cola, energy drinks etc. even if it is said to be decaffeinated You may drink water, fruit juice or milk Do not eat chocolate for the same period Otherwise, please eat as normal Have a light breakfast without tea/coffee/cocoa/coke/diet coke etc at least 3 hours before your appointment Please bring something to eat containing fatty food e.g. cheese or egg mayonnaise sandwich and a fizzy drink e.g. coke Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing Do not eat or drink until asked by a member of staff to do so Having caffeine will result in the cancellation of your test. What will happen during the Stress appointment? The procedure will be carried out by a Specialist Radiology nurse or Nuclear Medicine Technologist. You will be called into the room and your weight recorded. You will be asked to take a seat while your name, address and date of birth are checked. A brief medical assessment will be carried out and explanation of the test given.

of 6 A blood pressure cuff and some ECG stickers will be attached. A small needle will be inserted into a vein in your arm or hand. You will be given an infusion (drip) containing a drug called Adenosine. Adenosine occurs naturally in your own body where its role is to dilate the blood vessels. It is a safe drug. It can cause breathlessness in patients who have asthma; if you suffer from asthma please contact the Nuclear Medicine Department (0161 419 5974). The infusion lasts for 4 ½ minutes during which time the radioactive tracer will be administered. During the infusion you may experience some common side effects from the drug, these may include: Flushing Shortness of breath Nausea Chest tightness Light-headedness Headache Dizziness Dry mouth Each patient reacts to the infusion differently, some patients don t experience any side effects, whereas others may experience several. Your heart and blood pressure will be monitored throughout the infusion. If there are any concerns the infusion will be stopped. If you feel unable to continue with the infusion, the test can be stopped at your request The drug is out of your system 8 10 seconds after the infusion has finished, any side effects will usually be gone within a minute. Please read all the enclosed information leaflets relating to your scan. You will be given instructions about eating and drinking. Approximately 1 hour following your infusion and injection of radioactive tracer your scan will be carried out. This is the same as the scan on your previous appointment. Alternatives to Myocardial Perfusion Scan (MPI) Stress Echocardiogram Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan Cardiac Computed Tomography (CT) Coronary Angiography Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT) Your Consultant or Nurse Consultant in Cardiology will discuss this with you.

of 6 Benefits of Myocardial Perfusion Scan MPI is less invasive than coronary angiography therefore there is reduced risk The radiation dose is, in most cases, less than coronary angiography. The radioactive tracer used for this test is Technetium-99m. Risks and Complications of Myocardial Perfusion Scan The risks of the test are small. Severe complications are extremely rare. Monitoring your blood pressure and continuous monitoring of your heart minimise the small risks. How will I get my results? The results of your scan will go to the Doctor or Nurse Consultant in Cardiology who referred you. If you have not heard from the Doctor or Nurse Consultant within 2-3 weeks please telephone the Secretary of the Consultant who referred you. Contact us Nuclear Medicine Department 0161 419 5974 Patient and Customer Services 0161 419 5678 If you need any assistance with transport to the hospital please contact your GP. For visually impaired patients we have sighted guides in the main reception of the hospital.

of 6 If you would like this leaflet in a different format, for example, in large print, or on audiotape, or for people with learning disabilities, please contact: Patient and Customer Services, Poplar Suite, Stepping Hill Hospital. Tel: 0161 419 5678 Information Leaflet. Email: PCS@stockport.nhs.uk. Our smoke free policy Smoking is not allowed anywhere on our sites. Please read our leaflet 'Policy on Smoke Free NHS Premises' to find out more. Leaflet number RAD72 Publication date January 2015 Review date January 2017 Department Nuclear Medicine, X Ray B Location Stepping Hill Hospital