Results

Your doctor will discuss your nuclear stress test results with you. Your results could show:

• Normal blood flow during exercise and rest. You may not need further tests.
• Normal blood flow during rest, but not during exercise. Part of your heart isn't receiving enough blood when you're exerting yourself. This might mean that you have one or more blocked arteries (coronary artery disease).
• Low blood flow during rest and exercise. Part of your heart isn't getting enough blood at all times, which could be due to severe coronary artery disease or a previous heart attack.
• Lack of blood flow in parts of your heart. Areas of your heart that don't show the radioactive tracer have damage from a heart attack.

If you don't have enough blood flow through your heart, you may need to have coronary angiography. This test looks directly at the blood vessels supplying your heart. If you have severe blockages, you may need an angioplasty and stent placement or open-heart surgery (coronary artery bypass).