PET Rubidium-82 Myocardial Perfusion Stress Test

Basic Facts:

  • A PET-CT test is a type of stress testing that involves a medication rather than exercise on a treadmill, with images of the heart obtained before and after using a nuclear medicine tracer and a special camera, combined with a CT scan, to provide details about blood flow to the heart and the function of the heart. 
  • This test can be used in a variety of situations such as:
    • Looking for blockages of the heart arteries in patients who have symptoms such as chest pain, pressure, or shortness of breath.
    • Understanding the prognosis of someone who is already known to have heart disease.
    • Understanding a patient's cardiac risk if they are to undergo other surgical procedures.
PET-CT

Th patient will be provided with specific pre-procedure instructions and a list of medications to hold off on taking. It is very important to follow the instructions because if they are not followed, the test will not work, and the patient may need to be rescheduled. This includes:

  • No caffeine or alcohol 24 hours prior. 
  • No smoking or nicotine products 12 hours prior.
  • No eating 4 hours prior.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Wear a comfortable two-piece clothing. The skin of the chest should otherwise be easily accessible and free of lotions or oils. Sports bras are ok, but no underwire bras.
  • The patient can drive themselves to and from the office for the appointment.
  1. This test is performed by a nurse and nuclear technologist trained in PET and CT imaging.
  2. The skin of the chest is cleaned and prepped and ECG leads are placed.
  3. An IV is started and a low dose of a radioactive tracer is given through it. This tracer is taken up by the muscle of the heart so that it “lights up” for the camera.
  4. The patient will lie still with their arms overhead for the test, and will remain on the table for the duration of the study.
  5. A low-dose CT scan is done, immediately followed by a PET scan of the heart at rest.
  6. The “stress” portion of the test is then done with a medication through the IV, Regadenoson, which will relax blood vessels and increase blood flow to the heart, simulating the effects of exercise.
  7. The second set of images in then taken after the “stress” portion. 
  8. During all of this, the nurse is monitoring the ECG, blood pressure, and for any symptoms.
  9. The imaging/time on the table is about 25 minutes. The total appointment lasts about 45 minutes.

There are no post-test restrictions for this test. After the procedure, the patient can leave and go about their day.

Virginia Heart Care Team will contact the patient with specifics regarding results.

As the camera often picks up areas beyond the heart, the patient may also receive a second report from our Radiology partners for the non-cardiac imaging. There is no additional charge for this second report.