Scan

[pattiannj]

Has anyone experienced a myocardial perfusion scan. If so would be interested to hear any detail Thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

Had CT scan of heart if that helps. Not unpleasant so long as you know that the feeling that you peed is just a feeling and you really haven't. I don't like the arch much which I find claustrophobic but it is OK if you keep your eyes closed when you go through it.

[Basia12]

Hi yes had the perfusion scan the one I had was the one where they have to increase your heart rate before scan so they put you on an exercise bike first whilst monitoring your heat rate iwas in fast AF at the time so they stopped the exercise and gave me a drug to speed up the heart which has a half life of six minutes for that six minutes though it can make your heart feel very weird like you are going to die ! (This is a common feeling) at this point you sometimes also have to exercise your legs to get your heart rate up! But the staff were lovely so it wasn't that bad then I went back to the waiting room and then for Mri which was noisy but ok the dye they inject is radioactive so they advice not to have contact with children for a short period of time after in all it sounds worse than it is , it was a very controlled test and mine was a little more unpleasant due to the AF -I may not have needed the drug if I could have stayed on the exercise bike! It's a good test to have as its 75percent accurate at showing blockages x hope this helps

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Basia12]

Amusing anecdote coming up. When I had my bone scan after diagnosis of prostate cancer they injected me with the radioactive substance and they said to get lost for two hours while it soaked in. We went shopping! As we walked past all the shops with those alarms on the doorways to catch shop lifters they started going off. I was puzzled to start with and then realised it was ME setting them off. The hospital also gave me a letter to show to security at any airport as they said I would set off the detectors there as well if I flew within 24- 48 hours. I don't think this happens other than for bone scans and the substance is something that is taken up by bone very quickly but takes a while to leach out again..

Scan was clear by the way.

Bob

[pattiannj]

Thanks guys it's for a friend who is to have one using the drugs to investigate the feeling of pressure she gets in her chest. Just knew someone on this great site would have some info.

[meadfoot]

Hi yes I have had one well two one resting and one stress version. The stress one they injected me to stress the heart and within a second I gasped which only lasted a very short time. they monitored me throughout. They then injected the dye and I had to wait for an hour then into to ct donut type scanner for pictures. You aren't enclosed and it is an easy scan to go through. Had a resting test following week, no stress injection obviously just the dye and scan.

Hope this helps.

Dee

[rosyG]

I found it fine and the strangeness wears off quickly