Nuclear Cardiology
Nuclear cardiology identifies signs of coronary artery disease (or heart disease) through minimally invasive tests. Patients experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath are candidates for nuclear cardiology tests.
Nuclear Cardiology at Wellstar
Wellstar nuclear cardiologists give patients with chest pain and shortness of breath the opportunity to identify heart disease early and prevent heart attacks. With coronary heart disease, a person’s blood vessels narrow, arteries become clogged, and, eventually, block blood flow to the heart. These studies can ultimately help save a life because heart disease increases a person’s risk of a heart attack. Identifying heart disease can help the patient’s cardiologist create an effective treatment plan.
The most common nuclear cardiology study is Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, also known as a nuclear stress test. This test identifies areas of the heart that are deficient in blood supply and which areas have scars from a previous heart attack. Patients are injected with a radioactive dye and have imaging performed while at rest and while exercising.
What we treat
- Heart disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
Diagnostic and Imaging
Data gathered from nuclear cardiology studies can help physicians create the right treatment plan so patients can live longer, fuller lives. Nuclear cardiology tests can include:
- Myocardial Perfusion
- Imaging Evaluation of Cardiac Function with Radionuclide Ventriculography
- Assessment of Myocardial Injury, Infarction and Infection
- Imaging of the Nervous System of the Heart Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
