Cardiolite Stress Test

Planning ahead:

• Arrive at the hospital 30 minutes before your exam is scheduled. Ask the scheduler what time that is.

Bring with you when you come for your test:

• Complete list of medications you are currently taking – name and dosage of each medication, and when you take it.  
• Written physician’s order for the test. 
  
  

On the day of the test:

• Come in through the main entrance of Mon Health Medical Center and to the Radiology Services registration desk, which is down the hallway to the right. 
  
• Plan to be at the hospital for at least four to six hours for this exam, including wait times. 
  

During the exam:

• The nurse will start an IV, and it will be injected with the imaging agent. This agent must circulate for a while before any images can be obtained.
• You will need to lie flat on your back with your arms over your head for about 15 minutes while the first set of images is taken. A large camera will pass over your chest, approximately two inches away from your body. It is very important for you to stay perfectly still during the entire imaging portion of this exam. The tech will remain nearby but will not talk to ensure you remain perfectly still. 
• Next, you will be sent to the Stress Lab, where you will walk on a treadmill while being monitored and watched by a cardiologist (this exercise portion of the procedure is actually a separate exam done in combination with the nuclear medicine exam). 
• If you are physically unable to walk on the treadmill or the cardiologist does not want you to walk on the treadmill, you will be given a medication that speeds up the heart to simulate exercise. 
• After you have finished walking or received the medication, you will wait for a set amount of time. During this wait time, it is important that you eat and drink. 
• You will then be sent back to the Nuclear Medicine department for additional imaging under the nuclear camera.

Or call the Mon Health Nuclear Medicine Department at (304)598-1280.