Myocardial Perfusion Scan

A myocardial perfusion scan is a nuclear imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle during rest and stress. A small radioactive tracer is injected and a special camera detects areas with reduced perfusion, indicating ischemia or scarring from past heart attacks. It helps diagnose coronary artery disease, assess severity, guide treatment, and is generally safe though it requires intravenous injection and sometimes exercise or medication-induced stress.

A myocardial perfusion scan identifies areas of reduced blood flow in the heart muscle, indicating ischemia or prior infarction often caused by coronary artery blockages. It does not directly image the coronary arteries, so it cannot precisely show where a blockage is. Abnormal perfusion typically prompts further testing (like invasive coronary angiography or CT coronary angiography) to locate and quantify blockages.

Myocardial perfusion scans are generally safe. Common transient effects include mild injection‑site pain or bruising and low radiation exposure. During the stress phase, pharmacologic agents can cause flushing, headache, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness or nausea; exercise may cause muscle soreness. Serious complications (arrhythmia, severe allergic reaction, significant hypotension) are rare and monitored during testing.

A myocardial perfusion scan typically takes about 2 to 4 hours overall. Preparation, radiotracer injection, uptake time and imaging mean each rest and stress phase requires roughly 30–60 minutes of waiting plus 15–40 minutes of camera time. Single‑phase or abbreviated protocols may take 1–2 hours; full stress/rest studies or delayed imaging commonly require 3–4 hours and occasionally longer.

A myocardial perfusion scan is often performed as a stress test. It uses a radioactive tracer and imaging (SPECT or PET) to compare blood flow to heart muscle at rest and during stress, which can be induced by exercise or medications if exercise isn’t possible. A rest-only scan is possible, but the common approach is a combined rest-and-stress study to detect ischemia and assess heart function.

A myocardial perfusion scan typically costs vary by country and setting: in the US private fees commonly range $1,000–$5,000 (insurance often reduces out‑of‑pocket cost); in India private centers often charge roughly ₹3,000–₹15,000; in the UK it’s free on the NHS, while private clinics charge about £400–£1,200. Final cost depends on test type (SPECT vs PET), center, and extra fees.