Doug Landau had a Thallium Isotope Stress Test. You can see what a lab that performs these tests look like at heartsite. The MRI provides a very comprehensive evaluation of the heart, displaying the function, structure, blood flow, and coronary arteries. Standard stress tests, such as treadmill exercise tests, can indicate how well an individual’s heart handles increased physical exertion, and can help physicians find a blockage or other problem in the blood vessels of the heart. A thallium stress test uses a radioactive substance that is injected into the bloodstream to show how well blood is flowing to the heart muscle. It is usually done in conjunction with an exercise stress test on a treadmill or bicycle.

The fast cine MRI stress test uses a new form of high-speed MRI to view the wall of the heart as it beats. The fast cine MRI is able to capture the heart’s movement at almost the same time the heart is contracting and relaxing, or close to ‘real time.’ With the high-speed imaging, the physician can evaluate the ability of the left ventricular wall to move during physical stress. The fast cine MRI uses the highest speed available to visualize the rapid movements of the heart and obtain a nearly immediate image of the heart in motion.

The test is an alternative for patients who aren’t well suited for standard stress echocardiograms, such as obese patients, individuals who have undergone previous cardiothoracic surgery, or who have lung disease. However, the fast cine MRI stress test should not be used in patients with pacemakers, cochlear implants, metal clips, or defibrillators.