Heart Disease Health Center

Risks

Cardiac perfusion scans are usually safe. There is always a slight chance of damage to cells or tissue from radiation, including the low levels of radiation used for this test. But the chance of damage from the radiation is usually very low compared with the benefits of the test.

The risk of exercise depends on the condition of your heart and your general level of health. The risks include:

• Fainting.
• Chest pain.
• An irregular heartbeat.
• Heart attack. There is a slight risk that death may result if a heart attack occurs during the test.

After the test

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you develop:

• Chest pain.
• Trouble breathing.

Results

A cardiac perfusion scan measures the amount of blood in your heart muscle at rest and during exercise. Test results are usually available within 1 to 3 days.

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• A recent, serious heart attack.
• Inflammation of the heart, such as myocarditis or sarcoidosis.
• Bruising of the heart muscle (cardiac contusion).
• Weakening of the heart muscle.
• Stiffening of the heart muscle (myocardial fibrosis).
• A severely narrowed heart valve.
• Implanted cardiac devices, such as a pacemaker.
• A condition that makes it difficult to exercise, such as lung disease, arthritis, or a neuromuscular problem.
• Some medicines, such as dipyridamole (Persantine) and pentoxifylline (Trental).
• Severe electrolyte imbalances (especially calcium, potassium, sodium, or magnesium).
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding (except in an emergency).

Test results may be difficult to interpret in scans done on women with large breasts.