A cardiac blood pool scan is sometimes called equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography or gated (synchronized) cardiac blood pool imaging.
Pregnant women are the only patients who should not participate in a cardiac blood pool scan.
Cardiac blood pool scans are a safe and effective way of measuring left ventricle function. The only risk is to the fetus of a pregnant woman.
This test normally takes about 30 minutes.
It is also called a cardiac blood pool study
A multiplegated acquisition (MUGA) scan is a variation of this test.
The patient may resume normal activities immediately.
To perform a cardiac blood pool scan, the patient lies under a special gamma scintillation camera that detects radiation. A protein tagged with a radioactive marker (usually technetium-99m) is injected into the patient's forearm.
The patient needs to remain silent and motionless during the test.
A computer is used to process the information from the test, then the results are analyzed by a doctor.
No changes in diet or medication are necessary. An ECG will probably be done before the test.
The scan can detect aneurysms of the left ventricle, motion abnormalities caused by damage to the heart wall, cardiac shunts between the left and right ventricle, and coronary occlusive artery disease.