Why are nuclear cardiology procedures performed?
Nuclear scans are done in two circumstances: [1] to determine if heart artery blockages are present (coronary artery disease) in patients who have developed symptoms that suggest the possibility of heart trouble, such as chest pressure, or burning, or who are at significant risk of heart trouble (persons with diabetes or high cholesterol, for example), or [2] among patients with known heart trouble to determine their risk of an event in the future. That is, if a person has had a heart attack but a follow-up scan is normal or only mildly abnormal, the risk of another heart attack is low. However, a significantly abnormal scan would indicate an increased risk of another heart attack. If this were the case, the doctor would generally recommend a heart catheterization to determine what could be done to prevent such an event, for example, by coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty or stenting.
