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Procedure:

• You have been referred for a Gated Heart Pool Study (GHPS) which looks at how well the ventricles of your heart are beating.

• A GHPS can:

  • Accurately assess the efficiency of the Left Ventricle using a value called an Ejection Fraction (LVEF) (1).

  • Detect the presence of cardiomyopathy

  • Assess the hearts function before, during and after chemotherapy by comparing the LVEF value.

• To perform this test we need to give you two injections into your vein (similar to a blood test).

• The first injection (stannous ions), prepares your blood for the second injection (99mTc-Pertechnetate).

• The second injection is done 15 minutes after the first injection while you lie on a bed and makes your blood slightly radioactive.

• There are rarely any side effects with either injection.

• Whilst lying on a bed, we will connect three ECG leads to monitor your heart rate.

• Because your blood is slightly radioactive, we can measure how well the left chamber of your heart beats with our Gamma Camera (2).

• This camera sits above your chest whilst always taking images.

• We normally take 2 to 3 images of your heart in different angles with our camera.

• Imaging can take anything from 20 to 40 minutes.

• You receive a slight radiation dose by having a GHPS ~ up to 2.75 times your yearly background radiation (3).

 

Patient Preparation:

• If you are pregnant, trying to fall pregnant or breast feeding, you must inform our staff.

• If you have had prior imaging e.g. PET, Nuclear Scan, CT, MRI, X-Ray, Ultrasound, etc... please bring these with you.

• Please also bring your referral and any blood results that you may have had done.

• There is no preparation for a GHPS i.e. eat and drink as normal.

• If you are on any medications, please take these as normal.

• Wear comfortable clothing and minimise the amount of metal jewellery you have on (all metal objects will need to be removed prior to imaging).

• Important Note: You cannot have this test if you have had a PET or Nuclear Scan within 24 hours prior to this test. If you have had Iodine-131 therapy, allow 4-weeks before having this test. Please ring to discuss booking options.​

 

Breast-Feeding Mothers: Once you have been given the tracer, you need to stop breast-feeding for two feeds. During this time, you need to express and discard your breast milk. You will need to bottle-feed your child during this period.

 

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(1) Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) represents the volumetric fraction of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each cardiac cycle [ LVEF = ((LVED-LVES)/LVED)*100 % ]

(2) A Gamma Camera is a device that detects gamma-rays (gamma-rays are very similar to x-rays) and does not emit any radiation..

(3) We all receive a yearly background radiation dose ~ 2.4mSv. GHPS ~ 6.6mSv = 2.75 times yearly background dose.