Cardiac Myoview Stress Test - Heart Scan

If you are having health problems with symptoms that seem to be heart related, your doctor may order a Myoview Stress Test also known as an Isotope Stress Test or a Myoview Heart Scan. The purpose of this test is to see if enough blood is being supplied to your heart when it must work harder as with exercise. The results will help your doctor be able to determine if there is a blockage or other problem preventing sufficient blood flow, causing your symptoms.

What is a Myoview Stress Test

A Myoview Stress Test involves having your heart scanned by a special camera before and after exercise. You are injected with an isotope that is attracted to your heart muscle. The isotope being absorbed by your heart muscle is what allows the camera to take images of your heart. These images will determine how well the blood is being supplied to your heart.

My Experience with a Myoview Stress Test

I was already in the hospital with heart problems when I had a Myoview Stress Test done so your test may not be exactly like mine, but it will probably be similar to the following description.

The Myoview test I had involved having a scan done before and after exercising on a treadmill. When I got to the testing room, they put sticky pads with electrodes on me and hooked up wires to do a quick EKG to make sure everything was okay to go ahead with the test. Next, they put an IV shunt in my arm so they could inject the isotope that would be used to be able to scan my heart. Once they did the injection, I went back into the waiting area for about a half hour so my heart could absorb the isotope for the scan.

After the half hour, I was taken to a room with the scanning camera. It was a big machine with a curved table that you lie on. Once you lie down, the camera is above you. It slowly moves in an arch across your chest (not touching you) as it takes images of your heart. It took about twenty minutes. I had to make sure I was very still so I just closed my eyes and relaxed and actually dozed off a little bit.

Once the scan was completed, I was taken back to the waiting area for a little while before exercising on the treadmill. When it was time to do the treadmill part of the test, it was just like a regular cardiac stress test. I was hooked up to a monitor that would keep track of my heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. I then went on the treadmill. The treadmill was started out slowly and increased little by little. The only difference from a regular cardiac stress test and this one was that another isotope injection was done shortly before I finished exercising on the treadmill.

When I was done on the treadmill, they had me sit down as they unhooked all the wires. I had to wait a little bit to make sure the isotope was absorbed by my heart and then I was taken back to the scanning camera. The scan was done the same way, but this time would show how well blood was supplied to my heart during exercise. After the second scan was complete, I was taken to the waiting area while they checked the images to make sure they wouldn't need to do another scan. Within a few minutes, they told me the scan turned out fine. My doctor had the results of the scan the next day. Thankfully, it showed nothing wrong with my heart.

Side Effects

I noticed no side effects or adverse reactions to the isotope used or any other part of the Myoview Stress Test.

Further Reading

Cardiac Exercise Stress Test

Tachycardia and PVCs - Fast Heart Rate and Palpitations

Sources

Heartsite.com