An MPS scan has three parts. All three parts are usually conducted over one day and will take 5 to 6 hours.

Sometimes, the scan may occur over 2 days. You will be notified prior to your scan if this is the case. In these instances, each part will take 2 to 3 hours.

After you arrive, the procedure will be discussed with you by one of our team members, and you will have the chance to ask any questions before proceeding.

Part 1 – rest scan

A small amount of radioactive tracer will be injected through a cannula into your hand or arm. You will wait approximately 60 minutes for the tracer to be absorbed into your heart muscle. Images will then be taken for about 25 minutes. 

You will be asked to lie on your back with your arms above your head. If this is difficult for you, please let a staff member know, and you will be positioned more comfortably. The camera will move around your chest to take images of your heart. It is very important that you lie still while this is happening.

Part 2 – stress test

Your heart will be assessed while it is under stress. Treadmill exercise is the preferred method for this test, but if you cannot exercise sufficiently, you may be directed to take a medication that mimics the effects of exercise. This medication can sometimes cause headaches or nausea, but these side effects usually only last a few minutes.

During the stress test, blood pressure checks will be taken, and your heart will be closely monitored with an ECG. When your heart rate reaches the required target rate, you will receive another injection of radioactive tracer through a cannula. Once you have recovered from the stress test, you will be able to leave to consume food and drink.
You will also be given a time to return for part 3 of your scan.

Part 3 – stress scan

This is usually the final part of the scan. You will be asked to lie on the scanning bed for about 15 minutes while attached to an ECG machine.
The cannula will be removed once all the appropriate images have been taken.

MPS scans require specific preparation. If you are claustrophobic, please inform a staff member when booking your appointment.

Please ensure you:

• Fast for 4 hours prior to your appointment: You may sip water to take medication during this time. Please notify staff if you are diabetic
• Do not consume any caffeine for 24 hours before your scan. This includes tea, coffee, herbal and decaffeinated tea and coffee products, all soft drinks, energy or sports drinks, or chocolate.
• Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes, and flat shoes. It is best to wear a shirt that opens at the front
• Bring a list of all your current medications

If you are on certain medications, they may need to be stopped before your scan. You will need to consult your referring doctor to confirm ceasing these medications. These include:

• Persantin/Asasantin/Dipyridamole – cease 5 days prior to your scan
• Adenosine – cease 5 days prior to your scan
• Cialis – cease 5 days prior to your scan
• Theophylline – cease 3 days prior to your scan

This scan cannot be conducted on pregnant women. If you are breast feeding, please avoid breast feeding for 12 hours after the procedure. You will need to express and discard your breast milk during this time.

There is a small risk of complications from the stress test including angina (heart pains) and on rare occasions heart attacks which may be life threatening. Every effort is made to minimise the risks of the procedure and our experienced staff can promptly attend to any complications that may arise.

Please avoid close proximity to infants, small children, and pregnant women for four hours after your procedure.

If you develop fever, swelling, redness and warmth at the IV site in the days following the scan, call Qscan on 1300 177 226 or contact your GP. If you are still concerned and it is after hours, please contact your nearest Emergency Department.

Our friendly customer service team will provide you with any specific aftercare instructions at the time of your appointment. 

Myocardial perfusion scans can be bulk billed, provided Medicare eligibility requirements are met. 

Our friendly customer service team can advise you of all costs involved with your scan, including any out-of-pocket costs, if relevant.