Cardiac Stress Tests
Cardiac stress tests are available at Mass General Imaging in Boston, Danvers and Waltham.
Cardiac Stress Tests
What Is a Cardiac Stress Test?
A cardiac stress test helps you and your doctor learn more about how your heart is working. A cardiac stress test with images use a radioactive tracer that enters your heart to show blocked arteries or other damage. It allows us to take images of blood flowing in your heart. We take images of your heart at rest and after your heart rate has increased. The exam takes about two to three hours.
A cardiac stress test with images is a type of nuclear medicine exam.
Learn more
A Note About Tracers
We use the lowest dose of radioactive tracer to get the highest quality images. The radiation risk is very low compared to potential benefits.Types of Stress Tests
Stress Test with Exercise and Images
- You exercise on a treadmill to raise your heart rate and blood pressure. We give you a radioactive tracer through a thin tube inserted in your arm (an intravenous or IV line).
Stress Testing - Exercise With Imaging - Spanish
Stress Test with Medicine and Images
- Instead of making your heart pump harder with physical exercise, we give you a medicine that makes your blood flow like it does while you exercise. We give you this medicine along with a radioactive tracer through a thin tube inserted in your arm (an intravenous or IV line).
Stress Testing - Adenosine or Regadenoson with Imaging - Spanish
Stress Test with Exercise (No Images)
- You exercise on a treadmill to raise your heart rate and blood pressure. This test takes about 45 minutes. It does not use imaging or a radioactive tracer.
Stress Testing - Exercise Only - Spanish
How to Prepare for a Stress Test with Imaging
You can log into Patient Gateway for more details about your specific appointment.
- When to Arrive - Please arrive 30 minutes before your appointment.
- Eating and Drinking 12 Hours Before Your Test - Do not have any food or drinks that have caffeine such as chocolate, regular or decaf coffee, tea or soft drinks including decaf sodas.
- Eating and Drinking 3 Hours Before Your Test - Do not eat or drink anything. Only sip water with medicines your doctor says are okay to take.
- Medicines - Ask your doctor how to take your medicines before the test. You may need to take a medicine later than you normally do.
- Diabetes - Check with your doctor to see if you should take your diabetes medicines or change your daily insulin dose.
- Clothing - Please wear walking shoes and a comfortable two-piece outfit.
Refer a Patient to Mass General Imaging
Are you a provider who wants to refer a patient to Mass General Imaging? Call our Central Scheduling Office between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Or order online.