MUGA scan
Your doctor has ordered a MUGA scan for you.
What is a MUGA scan?
The MUGA scan (Multi-gated Acquisition Scan) is also called a radionuclide ventriculogram (RVG). It is the most accurate test of how well your heart pumps.
The right ventricle is the chamber of your heart that pumps blood to your lungs. The left ventricle is the chamber that pumps blood to the rest of your body.
The RVG measures the strength of your left ventricle. This is called the “ejection fraction.”
The ejection fraction is the percent of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each heartbeat.
A normal ejection fraction is 50% or more. The ejection fraction helps to guide treatment and helps predict your risk for future heart problems.
The RVG can also test how well the right ventricle pumps blood to your lungs.
What is the purpose of the test?
The RVG is very accurate. It can detect early, very small changes in how your heart works that might be missed by other tests. It can find damage from a heart attack or measure your risk of heart disease.
It may also be done if:
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You have heart failure. This happens when the heart doesn’t pump well. Heart failure causes fluid buildup in your lungs and may cause swelling in your legs.
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Your left ventricle is enlarged and the muscle is weakened. This leads to less blood being pumped from your heart.
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Your doctor wants to measure your risk if you were to have heart surgery.
How do I get ready for the test?
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There is no preparation for this test. You may eat as usual.
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Take your usual medicines with water or juice unless your doctor tells you not to.
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Wear comfortable clothing.
What happens during the test?
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We will place an IV into one of your veins.
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Some blood will be taken so we can tag some of your red blood cells with radioactive isotope. This process takes at least 20 minutes.
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When the tagging process is done, you will go into the camera room and lie down on the camera system. The blood we took out before will be put back into your body. The IV will be removed.
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A technologist or Nuclear Medicine Technologist will place electrodes on your chest so we can monitor your heart beat.
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We will take 3 pictures of your heart from different angles. Each picture takes 5-10 minutes.
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The pictures are sent to a computer so your doctor can see how well your heart is contracting.
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The test takes about 1 hour total from start to finish.
What does the test show?
The test may show a heart attack, heart disease, or other heart problems.
What happens after?
After the test, drink plenty of fluids to flush the radioactive isotope from your body. Your doctor will review the test and let you know what the pictures show.
When should I call my doctor?
Call your doctor if: