Profusion study after breathlessness

[fergusthegreat]

Hi, 30 months ago I went to A and E with severe shortness of breath. My ECG and cardiac markers were clear but they did an angiogram anyway which resulted in a mid LAD stent.

Three days ago the same thing happened but I was discharged after doing 21 minutes on the treadmill stress test.

I can understand why I was discharged but after suffering exactly the same symptoms previously and needing a stent I'm concerned that something bad is going on.

Because of this I have been offered a myocardial profusion study as a non invasive test to see if I have any restrictions in blood flow to my heart.

I just wondered if anyone else has had this test and what they're thoughts were?

[DD13]

Hi I had this test done only last year. This was after having lots of other tests done. It was okay. I was a bit nervous at first, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I still ended up having a echo bubble study done afterwards. And will be having another echocardiogram in a year's time to see what my small asd, type 2 bicuspid aortic valve and enlarged heart are doing. Also have a little narrowing in arteries. So am on meds, but gp said they couldn't say what was causing the breathlessness so I guess I have to put up with that one. So try not to worry too much and have the test done.

Regards Dee.

[fergusthegreat in reply to DD13]

Thanks for the info Dee. I will be having the test mainly to check for any narrowing in my coronary arteries. You mentioned in your post that you have a little narrowing in your arteries.

Do you know what percentage of stenosis that the test can detect?

[DD13 in reply to fergusthegreat]

No it didn't. My stomach was evidently doinging things, so they could not see what they wanted and that's why I had to have the bubble study. But when you mention to GP about stuff coming up your throat at night, I could have had the omeprazole a few years ago? Took a locum GP to give me this a few months back. The first test I had done was the echocardiogram, but I never got the results for that one until they had had a big medical meeting over it. Guess that's why I had the myocardial perfusion scan.

Regards Dee.

[70garden]

Food for thought ! In March my husband was investigated for chest pain with myocardial perfusion scan. Result was entirely normal apart from showing some calcification. Convinced he had angina he persuaded the consultant to do a coronary angiogram. This was done 2 weeks ago. It was found he had triple vessel disease with one branch totally blocked. Angioplasty was performed and 2 stents were inserted. His symptoms are now completely resolved and he has little ( no faith ) in the perfusion scan. Goood luck !!

[fergusthegreat in reply to 70garden]

Shit, glad to hear that you're husband got the treatment he needed eventually. What you have said is exactly what I'm worried about.

The doctor was very reluctant to give me an initial angiogram and that resulted in a stent in my Lad and now I'm worried about the same thing happening again.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Any test is also effected by how experienced the staff are who are performing the test, how up to date the equipment used and the expertise of the healthcare professional interpreting the results.

I had my recent perfusion MRI at St Thomas's hospital because it is a centre of excellence for cardiac imaging.