Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI)

A myocardial perfusion test is a method of determining if there are any blockages present in the vessels (arteries) that supply blood to your heart. This is accomplished by looking at the blood supply to your heart muscle during both rest (part 1) and stress (part 2).

During part 1 (resting day), we will look at the blood flow of your heart as you are resting. A small amount of radiation will be injected into the vein of your arm. We then wait 30 – 60 minutes and take images using a gamma camera. The imaging takes 20 minutes. There is no preparation for part 1 but we ask that you bring a list of your medications with you as you made need to discontinue certain medications for part 2.

During part 2 (stress day), you will exercise on a treadmill or, if you are unable to exercise, you will be given a drug called Persantine to increase blood flow to the heart muscle. A small amount of radiation will be injected into the vein of your arm while at stress. After a 30 – 60 minutes delay images will be taken. The imaging takes 20 minutes.

For more information, visit Nuclear Medicine, FAQs, or Duration & Test Preparation Instructions.