What is a MUGA heart scan?
A MUGA scan creates a video of the blood pumping through the lower chambers, or ventricles, of the heart. This shows if there are problems with the way the heart is pumping and blood flow. A MUGA scan is often done before a person starts cancer treatment.
What is a MUGA scan and how is it done?
During the test, a small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into a vein. A special camera, called a gamma camera, detects the radiation released by the tracer to produce computer-generated movie images of the beating heart. The MUGA scan is a highly accurate test used to determine the heart’s pumping function.
Is a MUGA scan the same as an echocardiogram?
But how each test generates images is fundamentally different: A MUGA scan is a nuclear medicine test that uses gamma rays and a chemical tracer to generate images of your heart. An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves and a transducer with a special gel to generate ultrasound images of your heart.
How long do MUGA scans take?
How long will the test take? The MUGA scan takes about one to two hours to perform.
Who performs a MUGA scan?
The scan is performed by a technologist and evaluated afterward by a cardiologist or radiologist. Your doctor may give you specific instructions before the test. In general: You may be told not to eat or drink within four to six hours of the test and to cut out caffeine and tobacco for 24 hours leading up to it.
What is a good MUGA scan score?
A result between 50 percent and 75 percent is generally considered normal. This means your heart is pumping the proper amount of blood out into your body. Anything below 50 percent or above 75 percent may indicate an issue with your heart.
Is there any prep for a MUGA scan?
There is no special preparation required for this test; there are no medication or food restrictions. Wear comfortable clothes that can be easily removed, as you may be asked to wear a hospital gown during the test.
Is ejection fraction of 35 good?
If you have an EF of less than 35%, you have a greater risk of life-threatening irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac arrest/death. If your EF is below 35%, your doctor may talk to you about treatment with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
How long does a MUGA scan take?
Is a MUGA scan more accurate than an echocardiogram?
The images of the walls and valves of the heart produced by MUGA scans are more accurate and detailed than the ultrasound images generated by an echocardiogram, especially in obese patients, and are helpful in diagnosing heart failure or heart valve disease. Read, more on it here. In this way, how accurate is a MUGA scan?
The MUGA scan may take up to 3 hours to complete, depending on how many pictures are needed. At the beginning of your appointment, the technologist will place stickers called electrodes on your chest. These measure your heart’s electrical activity during the test. The technologist will then inject the radioactive tracer into a vein in your arm.
What happens during a MUGA scan procedure?
A technician will attach electrodes (small,round adhesive patches) to the skin of your chest.
How often should an echocardiogram be performed?
– Heart rate. Normally, heart rate can be measured by checking your pulse. – Heart rhythm. An ECG can show heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias). – Heart attack. An ECG can show evidence of a previous heart attack or one that’s in progress. – Inadequate blood and oxygen supply to the heart. – Structural abnormalities.