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Thallium stress test - Risks

Alternative Names

Sestamibi stress test; MIBI stress test; Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy

What the risks are:

Complications are rare but may include:

Arrhythmias
Difficulty breathing or asthma-like reactions
Extreme swings in blood pressure
Skin rashes

Your health care provider will explain the risks before the test.

Special considerations:

Breast tissue in women and non-heart tissues such as the diaphragm can sometimes cause false positive test results. Further tests may need to be done to confirm the results. These may include a a stress echocardiogram or a cardiac catheterization.

Nuclear scan

Anterior heart arteries

Reviewed last on: 7/10/2008
Benjamin Taragin M.D. Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, N.Y. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Udelson JE, Dilsizian V, Bonow RO. Nuclear Cardiology. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2007: chap. 16.

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