Muga Scan

This exam shows how much blood the heart is pumping and how well the walls of the heart are contracting.

Preparation

• Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment with an order/prescription if your doctor has given one to you.
• Bring a list of current medications.

Procedure

• An I.V. will be started.
• Your red blood cells with be “tagged” with a radioactive tracer. This is done in one of two ways. By drawing a small amount of blood and mixing it with a binding agent. Once the cells are bound to the agent, they are mixed with the radioactive tracer and re-injected into your I.V. OR, by injecting the binding agent through your I.V., waiting a small period of time, and then injecting the radioactive tracer.
• A total 20 to 30 minute incubation period is required during which the tagging of the red blood cells occurs.
• The heart is then imaged under a gamma camera for approximately 30 minutes.
• Total exam time is up to 90 minutes.

After the procedure

• You will follow up with ordering doctor.

Considerations

• If you are pregnant or suspect you may be, contact your referring doctor.
• Tell the technologist if you are planning to travel out of the country.
• For Macomb patients: Please note that our Nuclear Medicine equipment has a table weight limit of 500 lbs.