Myoview isotope scan

Has anyone had one? Inject an isotope into your arm and scan your heart from outside the body.

[meadfoot]

Yes I have had a myo view or Myocardial Perfusion test assuming that is what you mean. It was in two parts one stress and one resting.

Dee.

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

The Consultant says it is an isotope injected into your arm and then a scan to show how well or otherwise your heart is functioning. Did it hurt!! I hold the world record for being a wimp.

[meadfoot]

If it is the same thing I had (the name sounds similar). I had my BP checked first, it has to be under 180 for them to do the test which was an issue for me as all things medical shoots my BP to the moon!

The test was undertaken in the nuclear medicine department. I was attached to an ecg machine and bp monitor for the duration of the isotope injection stress part of the test. You just sit in a chair for the injection.

They injected the isotope and explained I might feel a little breathless for about 20 seconds or so which I did and it takes effect almost instantly ie a second or two which made me catch my breath so don't be taken aback by it if it happens its really nothing to worry about.

Incidentally my mother in law had the same test and felt absolutely nothing, zilch, nada, so you may well experience nothing at all.

They make sure you are feeling ok then you have to wait for an hour while the dye circulates. You are then scanned which takes about 15 minutes while they take pictures. Its in a doughnut scanner not a tube so your head is out the other side only your chest area is in scannner. You need to have your hands behind your head, rather as though you were laid soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere!

Afterwards you wait while they check the scan pictures for clarity then you can go home. Try not to have much to eat beforehand as a fullish stomach means it can obscure views of your heart so you have to wait longer then before so that they get clear pictures.

I seem to think I could not drink tea, coffee, cola or eat chocolate for 24 hours beforehand as these stimulate the heart.

Remember you are not allowed to be close to babies, small children or have pets close or expectant mums or anyone with a compromised immune system for 24 hours after as you are in fact radioactive (my daughter was pregnant at the time and I banned her from the house for a few days just to be sure).

The resting one is simple. More or less just a repeat of the scan, no isotope injection this time. They do the tests about a week apart.

The department should send you a booklet about the test with do's and dont's beforehand with frequently asked questions too. Take a book to pass the hour between dye and scan.

Hope this helps.

Dee.

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

Thanks so much for going to the trouble to give me such an in-depth reply. A problem seeing we have a rescue centre for animals. Will talk to Consultant as this is going to be a problem. Yet another investigation that l may not need.

[porridgequeen]

Hi Joholl

I had a myo view scan to see how the heart blood was circulating, it was slightly less complicated than the one Dee had.

Mine only had one part. The isotope was slowly injected into my arm - it was a strange but not frightening, I could feel it slowly spreading around my heart as it was slightly colder and then my chest felt slightly heavy. Then after a short time it was into the scanner. I am not very good with small spaces so just kept my eyes closed and listened to the the music I had chosen. Like Dee's this lasted about 15 minutes and then just the wait to check that the results were clear enough to read. I was given a glass of milk to help neutralise the isotope.

I felt absolutely fine throughout and after. You should receive lots of info about the procedure so that you are prepared, although having said that when I spoke to the technicians about how useful the preparation letter had been they were very pleased as they had written and printed it out it themselves, so hospitals may vary.

It's nothing to worry about just try to be calm and patient.

Best of luck

[Hidden]

Thanks porridgequeen. Will let you know how it goes.

[ferric24]

I have had this and we have dogs. No effect on them. The isotope is artificially created and has a maximum life of 1 day (called I believe technium). Very low energy and the limited radiation is confined to the person, not outside. It fades and gets flushed from your system within 24 hours. The test has two parts at rest and stressed. Nothing to worry about.

Regards

Ken.

[Hidden in reply to ferric24]

Thanks Ken. Just received a pack of info with appointment. Discussing it with Consultant first. Just wakked 5miles today, and swimming in sea last week; so din't know how relevent this is for me.