Heart test

With heart test, we can now detect and accurately quantify even the smallest amounts of calcium in the heart arteries. We can confidently diagnose heart disease whenever we find calcium in the heart arteries. If calcium is detected at the earliest possible time, this could be years before the first symptoms of heart disease present themselves these can be detected by heart test.

Heart test

In recent years, there have been improvements in heart test. Many centers now use a single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) camera, which provides a clearer image. Some centers also use a type of radioactive chemical called sestamibi. Sestamibi is used along with a radioactive compound called technetium. While thallium may still be better for some uses, such as providing a better image of the heart muscle itself, sestamibi may produce clearer images in overweight patients and is more useful in assessing how well the heart pumps blood by heart test.