MPS Scan - What to Expect
- Do not consume caffeine (e.g. tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cola) for 12 hours before your appointment
- Eat only a light breakfast if your scan is in the morning or a light lunch for evening scans
- Let us know in advance if you weigh more than 90kg or if you have asthma
- Wear clothing suitable for gentle exercise
- Bring a list of your medication if appropriate
- Do not bring children with you unless absolutely necessary.
Female Patients
You should not have a myocardial perfusion scan if you are pregnant. Please tell us as soon as possible if you think this might be the case.
It is not normally necessary to alter your medication but please contact us before your appointment if you are taking dipyridamole (Persantin).
On Arrival
On arrival one of our staff will explain the procedure to you, run through a simple safety questionnaire to make sure you can be scanned and answer any further questions you may have.
The Examination
We normally need to take two pictures but occasionally only the first stress picture is necessary. For this you first have an injection of a natural substance called adenosine that dilates the arteries of the heart and you pedal gently on a bicycle. You also have an injection of a radioactive tracer that lodges temporarily in the heart muscle and allows us to take pictures of the blood flow 30 to 60 minutes later. Imaging takes about 15 minutes and you need to lie flat and still for this time with both arms above your head. The second set of images is taken about two hours later. This involves a further injection of the radioactive tracer but no exercise, followed by repeat imaging 30 to 60 minutes later. The entire duration of the test is 4-5 hours.
Important Safety Information
Radiation is used as sparingly as possible and the benefits of the scan far outweigh the risk to your health. If you have any concerns, please ask to discuss this in more detail.
It is important that we know your weight 48 hours in advance if you are over 90kg (14 stone or 200 lbs) because we may need to order a higher dose of the tracer injection. If you weigh more than 120kg (19 stone or 260lbs) we may not be able to perform both sets of images on a single day and you may need to return on a second day. Please therefore contact us as soon as possible so we can make the appropriate bookings.
Asthma
We may need to perform the test in a slightly different way if you have asthma or chronic bronchitis. Please also let us know in advance if this is the case.
Are there any side effects?
The tracer injection has no immediate side effects, and it will not make you sleepy or prevent you from driving. It does not normally cause an allergic reaction even in people who are prone to allergies. The adenosine injection used to stress the heart can cause short-lived side effects of facial flushing or chest discomfort. We shall explain this in more detail at the time.
After your Scan
You can eat and drink normally. You can go anywhere you wish, but you should avoid prolonged close contact with children for 24 hours. Normal social interaction is fine but, for instance, do not sit with a young child on your lap for more than 20 minutes to avoid exposing the child to unnecessary radiation.
Results
The results of your scan will be sent to the doctor who referred you but you are welcome to a copy of the report if you require it.
