Myocardial scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine examination procedure that, depending on how it is performed, provides information about the vitality and perfusion conditions of the heart muscle.
The examination is also called stress myocardial scintigraphy, perfusion scintigraphy or stress ECG-triggered myocardial scintigraphy.
Myocardial scintigraphy is used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of myocardial scintigraphy is to detect myocardial ischemia. Myocardial ischemia is a condition in which there is not enough blood flowing to the heart muscle. This can happen when the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked by plaque.
The procedure is performed with and without exposure to Regadenoson, a drug that causes stress to the heart muscle by dilating blood vessels.
For cardiac scintigraphy, patients must come fasting, and no caffeine may be consumed 12 hours prior to the examination (water and medications are allowed, however); completed questionnaire.
The examinations consist of three phases: In the preparatory phase, the radioactive substance is prepared specifically for each patient and then administered (mostly intravenously). The technical phase includes the performance of scintigraphy, SPECT or PET measurement, including image evaluation. The information phase (specialist diagnosis) concludes the procedure.
You receive a minimal amount of a radioactive substance (radiopharmaceutical) with a short half-life. After 20 -240 minutes, this is sufficiently enriched in the target organ and the examination can be performed.
Some health insurance companies reimburse you for the costs of an examination:
SVA
KFA
BVA
