Your myocardial scan.qxp:Patient Booklet 11/06/2015 11:25 Page 2

A lifetime of specialist care

Royal Brompton Hospital Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan.qxp:Patient Booklet 11/06/2015 11:25 Page 3

Contents

What is a myocardial perfusion scan? 3 Getting ready for the scan 3 What happens during the scan? 5 What are the risks of having the scan? 6 How long does the scan take? 7 What happens after the scan? 8 When will I get the results of the scan? 9 Getting to the nuclear medicine department 10 Who can I contact for more information? 10

This leaflet gives you general information about your myocardial perfusion scan and how to prepare for it. It does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Please ask us if you have any questions.

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Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan

What is a myocardial perfusion scan?

A nuclear medicine scan also called a technetium scan provides information about or a thallium scan. your body to help with your diagnosis and treatment. Tracers, substances containing a small amount of It is a non-invasive imaging radioactivity, are used to test that shows how well your highlight different areas of the heart muscle is being supplied body depending on the test with blood. It is sometimes being carried out.

Getting ready for the scan

• Tea or coffee. This includes Please prepare for your green tea and decaffeinated scan as described below. tea or coffee, because these This helps to avoid any contain small amounts of delay in carrying out your caffeine. test and helps to make sure • Chocolate, including that the test is carried out drinking chocolate. effectively. • Colas and other drinks, such as energy or sports drinks that contain caffeine (check Caffeine, drinks and food the label). Caffeine can affect the result • Cold or pain relief of your test by interfering medications that contain with the medications that we caffeine. use. Any drinks that do not contain For 24 hours before your caffeine are fine. This includes appointment, please do not water, milk, fruit juice, soya eat or drink anything milk, and any herbal infusions containing caffeine including: that do not contain caffeine.

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For two hours before your appointment: (also called • do not eat any solid foods Asasantin or Persantin) – if • drink clear fluids only this is one of your usual medications, stop taking You will be able to eat after this 48 hours before the the first part of the process is scan. This will be discussed complete, so you may want to with you when you call to bring a light lunch or snack arrange your appointment. with you. Medicines and inhalers All other medications can We cannot carry out your be taken as normal. scan unless we know all the medications you are taking. People with diabetes

This helps us choose the You do not need to change most appropriate method your diet or treatment. Please for your test. bring any medications and snacks that you may need. When you come for your scan, Clothing please bring a list of all the medicines that you are taking. Please wear loose, comfortable Please include any inhalers, clothes. This allows us to sprays and over the counter attach monitoring leads and a non-prescription medicines. blood pressure cuff to your body. Trousers are best as we If you cannot bring a list, may ask you to do some gentle please bring all the medicines exercise. Wear comfortable, that you are taking in their flat shoes or trainers. original packaging. Children If you will need to take any of your regular medications In order to avoid unnecessary when you are in the radiation exposure to children, department for your scan, do not bring children to the please bring them with you. nuclear medicine department.

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Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan

Female patients

If you are pregnant, or think If you are breastfeeding, you you may be pregnant, please can still have the scan, but it is tell us before your scan. Even important that you contact us small amounts of radiation can for advice before you come in harm unborn babies. for the scan. What happens during the scan?

Prior to your scan we will you will receive the radioactive review your medical history tracer that allows us to take and symptoms with you so images of your heart. that we can select the most suitable method for your test. First scan We will explain the procedure We take the scan on a bed or fully and answer any questions reclining chair. We will ask you that you may have. to be as still as you can, with your arms relaxed and away A small tube is placed into a from your chest. The scanner is vein in your arm so that we positioned close to your chest can administer the medication before the scan begins. The and tracer used for the scan. scan takes approximately 15 Depending on your medical minutes. history, we may ask you to pedal on a seated exercise The scan does not cause bike for four to six minutes. If discomfort and the machinery is you are unable to exercise for quiet. Your body is not enclosed any reason, do not worry as at any stage. Clinical staff will we can still carry out the scan. be close to you at all times.

At this stage, we give a Second scan medication that prepares your Depending on your medical heart for the scan. This history and the results of your medication can sometimes first scan, we usually take a cause side effects for a few second scan after you have minutes, such as mild shortness had two to four hours rest. of breath or a feeling of Comparing this resting scan warmth in the body. After that, with your first scan can

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provide additional information and medical history, to have about your heart. the two scans on separate days. This allows us to ensure You can rest between the that the total radiation scans and have a drink or light exposure and any associated snack, if you wish. After the risks are kept as low as second scan, we check your practical. images, and then a member of staff will let you know that If this is the most appropriate your test is complete. way to carry out your scan, we will discuss this with you when Two-day scans you telephone to book your appointment. Each of the two We ask some patients, visits to the department will be depending on their personal about 60 to 90 minutes long.

What are the risks of having the scan?

Myocardial perfusion scanning very low risk of death, again has an excellent safety record. 1 in 20,000 cases. Like most medical tests and procedures, there is some risk If you can walk at a medium involved. The specialist team pace for six minutes without involved in your care will assess problems, then the risk is even your medical history to make lower. We will find out about sure that the benefits of the any risk to you from exercise information provided by the before we start the test and scan outweigh the small risks. answer any questions you may have. General risks Radiation risks There is a very low risk that The tracers we use produce a any medication or exercise small amount of radiation required for the test could similar to that used in a CT scan. cause an abnormal heart rhythm or a heart attack. The The risk of a fatal cancer risk of heart attack is about 1 occurring because of this in 20,000 cases. There is also a radiation is low (1 in 10,000 to

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Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan

1 in 1,000). This level of risk is getting cancer. Please ask us if very small compared with your you would like more overall lifetime chance of information about this.

How long does the scan take?

If you are having your scan done in one visit you can expect to be in the department for three to five hours in total. This includes periods of rest, as shown below:

We review your medical Preparation history, explain the procedure and answer any queries, then prepare you for your first scan

A 45-minute rest period may Rest be needed before the first scan

First scan Each scan takes 15-20 minutes

Rest We need to wait for 1½ to 2½ hours between the two scans

Second scan Your test is complete when we have checked all your scans

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What happens after the scan?

After your scan you can Contact with others living resume your normal daily at home with you activities. There are no lasting side effects and you will be The radioactive tracer given to able to eat and drink as you during your test continues normal. You will be able to to produce a small amount of drive after the scan if you wish. radiation afterwards. To keep radiation exposure to others We always try to keep to your to a minimum, we suggest appointment time, but there taking the precautions shown can occasionally be delays due in the table below with to technical issues or for other children 11 years old and reasons. We will keep you under and pregnant women informed if there is any delay. who live with you.

Tracer used: Technetium Thallium

Children 11 years old Avoid and under prolonged 24 hours three days or pregnant close women contact for: who live with you Maximum three hours close contact 30 minutes for three period: days after

Close contact means being less than one metre away. Short periods of close contact are permitted as stated in the above table. It is fine for you to be further than a metre from any other persons at any time after either type of scan.

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Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan

Travelling after your scan travelling within the periods stated in the table below, we The very small amount of can provide a letter that will radiation left in your body after give security staff the the scan can be detected by information they need. We will equipment such as airport tell you which tracer you have security scanners. If you are been given.

Tracer used: Technetium Thallium

Letter from department recommended if Less than Less than travelling through one week one month airports or abroad after scan from scan

When will I get the results of the scan?

We will send the results of your scan to the hospital consultant who referred you. This is normally within a week of your scan.

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Getting to the Nuclear Medicine department

Royal Brompton Hospital is a When you reach the main 15-minute walk from South hospital reception on Sydney Kensington tube station, Street, follow the signs to the which is on the Circle, District lift. Go up to level 3 in the lift and Piccadilly London or stairs and then follow the underground lines. Several bus signs to the Nuclear Medicine routes serve the hospital. department.

A map of the local area is If you need help, ask at the provided when you arrange an main hospital reception desk. appointment. For more The receptionist can arrange information on reaching us, for a porter to help you to get please visit the travel to the department. information page on our website: Patient transport

www.rbht.nhs.uk/brompton- If for medical reasons you directions need to arrange transport to come to the hospital, please Please note that there is no contact your GP. He or she can parking at the hospital and arrange this by referring you very limited parking in the to our hospital transport local area. department on 020 7351 8012 .

Who can I contact for more information?

If you have any queries about you back as soon as possible. your appointment time, please You can also email us at: contact us on 020 7351 8666 . [email protected]

If you have questions about You can find more information your myocardial perfusion about nuclear medicine scans at: scan, please leave a message on our answerphone www.rbht.nhs.uk/nuclear- (020 7351 8667) . We will call medicine

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Your nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan

If you have concerns about any aspect of the service you have received in hospital and feel unable to talk to those people responsible for your care, call PALS on: • Royal Brompton Hospital – 020 7349 7715 • Harefield Hospital – 01895 826 572 You can also email [email protected]. This is a confidential service.

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Royal Brompton Hospital Sydney Street London SW3 6NP tel: 020 7352 8121 textphone: (18001) 020 7352 8121

Harefield Hospital Hill End Road Harefield Middlesex UB9 6JH tel: 01895 823 737 textphone: (18001) 01895 823 737

Website: www.rbht.nhs.uk

Brosurteki bilginin Turkçe tercumesi için tedavi goruyor oldugunuz bolume bas vurunuz. Bolum personeli tercumenin gerçeklesmesini en kisa zamanda ayarlacaktir.

© Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust June 2015