How is a nuclear stress test done?

You will be asked to remain fasting for 2-4 hours prior to the test; you may take your medications with a sip of water. Loose comfortable clothes should be worn on the day of the test.

The test is usually done in a radiology suite. Before the test, electrodes will be hooked on your body so that the ECG can be recorded. You blood pressure will also be monitored during the test.

When you arrive for your nuclear stress test, your doctor asks you about your medical history and how often you typically exercise. This helps determine the amount of exercise that's appropriate for you during the stress test.You will then be asked to exercise on a treadmill or a stationary bike. The incline on the treadmill will gradually increase. In general, you will be asked to exercise for 8-12 minutes or until your heart rate has reached a certain target or develop symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, abnormal heart rate, high or low blood pressure or shortness of breath. If at anytime you feel uncomfortable, you can stop.

When you reach the maximum level of exercise a radioactive tracer will be injected into your blood stream through an IV. The dye will then be traced with the use of an x-ray machine. After the exercise, you will be allowed to rest for 2-4 hours and a second set of x-rays will be obtained. Again the dye will be injected and images obtained at rest. The images obtained at exercise and rest will be compared.

After the test, you will be allowed to go home and can resume all your daily living activities.