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A thallium stress test is another type of graded exercise stress test that helps determine if you have blockage in any of the arteries
that supply blood to your heart. It can also help monitor your progress if you already have a known cardiac condition. In some cases,
it can also measure the strength of your heart's contraction. Thallium is a short-lived, radioactive element that is given through
an IV in your arm and absorbed by the heart muscle. Thallium can be tracked by a special camera which produces a series of pictures
that show how blood flows through your heart.
This test has two parts. During a morning session, you will be monitored while you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike, and a set
of pictures will be taken. This will take about one hour. Then you will be asked to return in about three hours to have a second set of
pictures taken. Other radioisotopes sometimes used for these studies are Cardiolite or Sestamibi.
An adenosine thallium test is a thallium test that uses the medicine adenosine instead of exercise to test your heart. Persantine
(another medicine) is sometimes given instead of adenosine. Like the regular thallium stress test, this test is used to determine if
you have any blockage in the arteries that supply blood to your heart, or to check your progress if you have a known cardiac condition.
Adenosine is a medicine that briefly changes the blood and oxygen supply to your heart just as if you were exercising. It allows your
doctor to evaluate the effect of exercise on your heart without making you actually walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary bicycle.
This test may be ordered if you are not able to exercise long enough to produce reliable results.
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If
your doctor orders either a thallium stress test or an
adenosine thallium test for you, you will receive detailed
information about the test when it is scheduled. A nuclear
technologist and an exercise
physiologist administer both tests. A registered
nurse will also be present if you have an
adenosine thallium test.
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This test also occurs in two parts. In a morning session, you will receive the adenosine and then have the pictures taken. This part of
the test will last about one hour. You will be asked to return in about three hours to have a second set of pictures taken. This time,
the session will last about 45 minutes.
A dobutamine thallium test is a thallium test that uses the medicine dobutamine instead of exercise to stimulate your heart before pictures
are taken. This test, like the regular thallium test, is used to determine if you have any blockages in the arteries that supply blood to
your heart, or to check your progress if you have a known cardiac condition. Dobutamine increases your heart's rate and strength of
contraction just as if you were exercising. It allows your doctor to evaluate the effect of exercise on your heart without making you
actually walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary bicycle. This test may be ordered if you are not able to exercise long enough
to produce reliable results.
This test, like the other thallium tests, occurs in two parts.
In a morning session, you will receive the dobutamine and then
have the pictures taken. This part of the test will last about
one hour. You will be asked to return in about three hours to
have a second set of pictures taken. This time, the session
will last about 45 minutes. Your test will be administered by
a registered nurse,
exercise physiologist,
and nuclear technologist.
If your doctor orders a dobutamine thallium test for you, you
will receive additional information when the test is scheduled.
As you can see, there are several types
of stress tests available. Your doctor will order the most appropriate
and accurate tests for you. All of the stress tests described
in this section are supervised and interpreted by a cardiologist.
Choose a topic at left and click for more information on Cardiovascular Diagnostic Tests.
Copyright ©2005 Michigan Heart & Vascular Institute. All rights reserved.
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