Cardiac blood pool scans (MUGA scans)

A cardiac blood pool scan shows how blood moves through your heart. It also shows how your heart pumps during rest, exercise and stress. Other names for this test are cardiac flow study and cardiac nuclear scan.

During the scan, a small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected into a vein in your arm. A special camera takes pictures as the tracer moves through your heart and lungs. 

A common type of cardiac scan is a MUGA (multi-gated acquisition) scan. A MUGA scan measures how much blood your heart pumps with each contraction.

Before this scan, tell us if you:

• Had chemotherapy in the last two weeks.
• Have a pacemaker or other metal implant in your chest. This might make it harder to get a clear picture.
• Are allergic to any medicines.
• Are or might be pregnant.
• Have had recent tests with a radioactive tracer, like a thyroid scan or GI scan.

Many medicines affect the test results. Let us know about any prescription or non-prescription medicines you take. For example, you might need to stop taking certain heart medicines, such as nitrates (including Nitrostat and NitroMist) or digoxin (including Digitek and Lanoxin). 

If you cannot make your appointment, please tell us. We will schedule your appointment for another patient.

Risks:

• All radiation has possible side effects. The amount of radioactivity in this test is very small, and there are no known side effects.
• This test is not done for pregnant women because it could expose your baby to radiation. It is also not recommended if you are breastfeeding or have young children.
• If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor.

On the day of the test:

• We might ask you to stop eating or drinking for a few hours. We might also ask you to not have caffeine or smoke. 
• If your test will include exercise, wear comfortable clothing and shoes. 
• Arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time.
• Check in with the receptionist when you arrive.
• Bring your photo ID and BC Care Card (personal health number).
• Do not bring children under the age of 12 unless you bring someone to care for them during the test.
• Please do not wear perfume, cologne, or aftershave to your appointment. Some people are allergic to fragrance ingredients and can suffer severe reactions.

We will ask you to remove jewellery, any metal objects on your upper body, and dentures if you wear them. We might also ask you to change into a hospital gown.

MUGA scans take one to three hours. During the scan, you lie still on an exam table while we use a special camera above your chest to take pictures.

The technician will:

• Attach electrodes to your chest.
• Clean the site where you will get the injection. 
• Remove a small amount of blood with a needle. They will mix your blood with a radioactive tracer, then re-inject it into a vein in your arm. Usually this is on the inside of your elbow. 
• Take pictures from different angles with the camera close to your body.

Between pictures, they might ask you to:

• Change positions.
• Exercise to see how your heart reacts to stress. For example, they might ask you to walk on a treadmill. 
• Take nitroglycerin to see how well your heart responds to the medicine.

After your scan, you might need to wait while we review your scan images. If you moved during the scan and the images are blurry, we might need to repeat the scan.

You might feel sore or have swelling in your arm where the tracer was injected. To relieve this, apply a warm, wet compress to your arm.

The radioactive tracer will not make you feel any different. Drink lots of fluids for a day or two after your scan to flush the tracer out of your body. 

We will send your test results to your doctor within five working days. If your doctor does not have your results within two weeks, please ask them to contact us.

If you plan to travel within two weeks of this test, please tell us. We will give you a letter that says you were given a small amount of radioactive material.

The Indigenous Wellness Liaison Team is here to support your health journey. Team members offer cultural support and healthcare advocacy. Learn more below or call them at 604-682-2344,62937 or email IWL@providencehealth.bc.ca.

Nuclear Medicine Department

2nd Floor, Providence Wing, St. Paul’s Hospital

St. Paul's Hospital: Transportation, parking & drop-off information

Your doctor at St. Paul’s Hospital Cardiology Clinic may refer you for this test.