A safe, unique way to take pictures of the heart, a nuclear cardiology test involves injecting a small amount of radioactive tracer (radionuclide) into a vein that is taken up by the heart. A special camera then takes still pictures and movies of the heart with rest, exercise or medication-induced stress testing.
These cardiac images help to identify coronary heart disease, the severity of prior heart attacks and the risk of future heart attacks. Testing leads to highly accurate measurements of a patient’s heart size and function, as well as the amount of heart muscle at risk of damage, helping cardiologists prescribe appropriate medications, choose the right kinds of additional testing or determine the need for specific treatments.
Patient preparation instructions for nuclear cardiology testing at UR Medicine Cardiac Care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about nuclear cardiology testing
UR Medicine Cardiac Care provides the widest range of nuclear cardiology tests, all supervised by Ronald G. Schwartz, M.D., M.S., the most experienced nuclear cardiologist in the region.
To schedule a nuclear cardiology test at UR Medicine Cardiac Care, call us at (585) 275-6169.
For advice on cardiac testing, contact Ronald G. Schwartz, M.D., M.S., Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac PET CT at (585) 273-4340 (direct) or email ronald_schwartz@urmc.rochester.edu.
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