Total Time Required:
Day 1: 2 hours
Day 2: 1 hour
What is a Cardiolite scan?
A cardiolite scan is a test, usually performed with treadmill stress or a "drug" stressing agent to see the blood supply to the muscle of your heart.
Why do I need a Cardiolite scan?
Your doctor needs to know if your heart muscle is getting enough blood at rest and at exercise.
How do I prepare for my Cardiolite scan?
You must do without food or drink from midnight the night before. You will be asked by your doctor to stay off almost all medicine, including insulin, the morning of your scan. Wear comfortable shoes and loose-fitting clothing, preferably slacks on day one. On the second day of the resting scan, you will also need to do without food or drink.
What can I expect during the test?
This is a two-day test.
The first day you will have an I.V. started in your arm and electrodes placed on your chest. You will walk on the treadmill or receive a drug to "exercise" your heart. While exercise is taking place, you will get an injection into the I.V. tubing. After the exercise, you will get three or four more EKGs. After the EKGs, you will wait 30 - 60 minutes for the medicine to concentrate in your heart. For the "pictures", you will lie on a narrow table. You must lie very still for the pictures. You will have to hold your left arm up above your head (it will rest on the pillow) for a 15-minute picture. If this is impossible, let the technologist know before your test is started. After the scan is done, you are free to leave. You may eat and drink.
You will return the next day at a time that you and the technologist agree on. You will have an injection while sitting. After waiting 30 - 60 minutes for the medicine to concentrate, you will then have the same kind of pictures as the first day. When the scan is done, you are free to leave and may eat and drink.
