What is the function of a myocardial perfusion scan?

Blood flow to heart: It shows blood flow to the heart. It can show old scar of a heart attack or heart muscle that is not getting enough blood , which could mean a future heart attack.

Assess risk: 1. Determine blood flow to the heart at rest and at stress. The difference between these two can help determine risk of a major cardiac event such as a heart attack. 2. Determine cardiac size. 3. Determine cardiac function (left ventricular ejection fraction). 4. Determine exercise capacity. 5. Determine electrical (ECG) response to stress. These factors are used to help guide medical therapy.

Detection of angina: A myocardial perfusion study is performed in order to detect blockage of the coronary (heart) arteries using intravenous injection of radiotracers which will have a distribution proportional to the blood flow. Studies are performed at rest and after stress or pharmacological stress and then compared to each other. This will help detecting ischemia ( angina) or infarction (heart attack).