Cardiac Nuclear Study

Cardiac nuclear study is a painless exam that uses radioactive tracers to capture images of the heart and vascular system. Images reveal how the blood flows to the heart and how the heart pumps while under stress and at rest. As you are walking on a treadmill, radioactive tracers are injected into the bloodstream from an IV. Then you lie down on a bed under a camera that can detect energy emitted from the tracer. After the radioactive tracer reaches the heart, the machine moves in a circular motion around your body to capture the images. Cardiac nuclear studies are common tests for heart conditions and help detect coronary artery disease (CAD).