Myocardial perfusion imaging

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), also called a nuclear stress test, is a noninvasive imaging test that shows how well blood flows through the heart.

Myocardial perfusion imaging is performed with exercise or with the use of medication to stress the heart in patients who cannot exercise. Very small amounts of radioactive tracers are injected into the bloodstream, and images of the heart muscle are obtained on a gamma camera, which helps in detection of coronary artery disease and in evaluation of heart function.