myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI)
Myocardial perfusion imaging, also referred to as the thallium stress test, is a type of nuclear scanning test similar to a routine exercise stress test but with images. Myocardial perfusion imaging shows how well the heart muscle is supplied (perfused) with blood using a radioactive substance called thallium that’s injected into the bloodstream when the patient is at maximum level of exercise. Pictures are taken of the heart's muscle cells using a special (gamma) camera.
