A cardiac SPECT stress test uses a radioactive substance that is injected into your veins and allows a nuclear camera to create pictures showing the amount of blood flow to your heart.  This test measures blood flow to your heart at both rest and after stress, either exercise or chemical.  This test allows detection of areas of reduced blood flow to the heart suggestive of coronary blockage or previous areas of heart damage or scar from a heart attack.

This test is done to determine if symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and/or fatigue are related to a blocked coronary artery problem or previous myocardial infarction or heart attack.

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