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Tests and Procedure Descriptions Date Updated: 11/05/2007



Department
Nuclear Medicine
Procedure/Test Name
Adenosine Stress Test/Myoview Stress Test
Procedure Overview/Details
For additional information:
Radiology Info website


Upon arrival to the Heart Institute, you will be asked about your allergies, height, weight, and any medications that you take-including over the counter medications or vitamins.

An I.V. will be started in a vein in your arm to allow the technologist to inject a radioactive imaging agent, name Myoview. There are no side effects from this drug and the drug allows the technologist to take images of your heart.

You will then be asked to have a seat for 30 to 45 minutes in the waiting room while the Myoview circulates in your body. After this time, you will be asked to lay on a table with one or both of your arms above your head while a "gamma camera" rotates around you and takes several pictures of your heart. This process takes 15 to 25 minutes to complete.

Following the pictures, women will be asked to remove their shirts and will be given a hospital gown to cover up and men will be asked to remove their shirts. The skin on your chest will be prepared for electrodes (small sticky patches) using alcohol and gauze pad. Ten electrodes will be applied to your chest and then attached to the EKG machine. Hair on your chest may be shaved so the electrodes will stick to the skin. You will have a blood pressure cuff put on your arm and an extension added to your I.V.

Once you are ready, the Cardiologist or his/her designee will come in to perform the stress test. They will monitor your heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure during the stress test. For a Myoview stress test, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill until your heart rate reaches a target rate which is based on your age. At this time the technologist will inject a second dose of the Myoview, after which you will be asked to walk for one minute to allow the Myoview to circulate.

For an Adenosine Myoview stress test, the drug Adenosine will be injected into your I.V. slowly over 4 minutes. During this time, the technologist will inject a second dose of the Myoview through the I.V. It is important to let the supervising person know how you are feeling during either stress test. You will be asked this question frequently during the test.

Following the stress test, you will be disconnected from the equipment. You will be asked to wait for 30 minutes to let the medicine circulate if you had an Adenosine. If you had a Myoview, you will be asked to wait a few minutes for a camera to be available.

You will be asked to lie on the table again while the camera takes additional images. These images will be compared to your original images and examined for changes. Once the second set of images are complete, you are free to leave unless told otherwise.

A Cardiologist will read your images later in the day and will dictate a report to your ordering doctor. You should contact your ordering doctor for results within a few days.

Commonly Asked Questions:
  1. Why can't I eat or drink before the test? Imaging drugs travel to any working muscle, when you eat or drink, your stomach becomes the working muscle and would be working as hard as your heart. This would make the test results difficult to interpret, possibly resulting in false readings or having to reschedule the test to another time.
  2. What amount of radiation will I be exposed to? The amount of radiation you will be exposed to is similar to the amount you would receive from a chest x-ray.
  3. What if I don't feel good the day before the test or the day of the test? Please consult your doctor if you are not feeling well. If you need to reschedule your test, contact Marquette General Hospital Central Scheduling at 225-3551 or 1-800-562-9753, ext. 3551.
  4. Possible side effects from Adenosine: During the test you may feel some side effects from the drug Adenosine. Some people do not experience any side effects. You may experience the following:
  • heavier breathing
  • chest pain
  • headache
  • flushing
  • nausea
  • "funny" feeling
The side effects from this drug can be reversed by injecting the drug Aminophylline. There are no know side effects associated with the imaging drugs.
Preparation
Preparation before the test
  • You can NOT have caffeine for 24 hours prior to the test, this includes coffee, tea, and caffeinated pop. This also includes decaffeinated coffee, tea, and caffeine free pop (they still have a small amount caffeine in them)
  • Medications containing Theophylline and/or Aminophylline must not be taken for 36-48 hours prior to the test. Check with your doctor to see if you are taking these medications.
Day of the test
  • Do not eat or drink anything for 4 hours prior.
  • You may take your regular medications (if diabetic, see below) with a sip of water, unless your doctor has directed you not to.
  • If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar in the morning of the test and report this to the staff. Check with your doctor before taking any diabetic medication. If your blood sugar is very low and you do not feel well, you may have some juice prior to the test. Remeber to bring your diabetic medications to your appointment.
  • If you have inhalers, please bring them to your test.
  • Bring a list of your current medications to your appointment.
After Procedure Instructions
There are no special instructions to follow after your procedure.
Directions for Departments
Directions from PARKING RAMP:
Enter the six story parking ramp on College Avenue. No matter where you park, take the elevator to the third floor. Once on the third floor, you can enter the Robert C. Neldberg building using the large set of automatic doors. Once in the building, continue walking straight. When you get to the escalators, take a left and follow that hallway until you reach the elevators (you are now in the Rehab Department). Take the elevators to the fourth floor. Check in at the Heart Institute window.