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Nuclear Stress Test - Not accurate

Posted by briarrose @briarrose, Jun 14 6:22am

I am wondering if anyone ever had a pharmacological nuclear stress testing result which were inaccurate?
This was a 3 1/2 hour test at a reputable cardiology group/medical center. It showed my husband had an area of the inferior wall of the heart consistent with a infarction (heart attack). Since he never experienced any pain my first thought was a "silent" heart attack which can and does happen. We received this news over the holiday w/e and it was upsetting. The follow up echocardiogram testing was completely normal. Our cardiologist said there was an "artifact" on the nuclear stress test and it was inaccurate. However, his report has not been changed to reflect this. Results remain as is, despite my request to reflect "accurate" results and remove this part of the result.
I have never heard of an inaccurate nuclear stress test...and I personally had many in my life. The cardiologist did not clarify "what" the artifact was. how it could happen and b/c the echo was "fine", no repeat of this test ordered. Has anyone ever experienced this in their nuclear stress testing? Perhaps it's me but I find it alarming and unacceptable. This test result is now part of his medical record and it's wrong.

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lenmayo | @lenmayo | Jun 23 11:17am
In reply to @tabicat03 "@lenmayo I did have a CAC score of 21.1. I have lived with it for 3..." + (show)
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@lenmayo I did have a CAC score of 21.1. I have lived with it for 3 years now- If I was to bet I am sure that score would be higher now considering it's been almost 4 years. It's almost like I am just waiting for something to happen- My Doc said he don't feel justified in sending me to the cath lab- I hope he's right...it's my life that's being gambled with not his...I will say this- he is only 5 years older than I am and he too has a CAC way higher than mine- so I do trust his judgement- but can't explain away my symptoms...Its frustrating.

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@tabicat03
A Calcium Scoring test checks the calcium in your coronary arteries.
The plaque in your arteries over time calcify.
It's like a cat scan. Mine was 1350 before my triple bypass.

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njx58 | @njx58 | Jun 23 11:41am
In reply to @lenmayo "@tabicat03 A Calcium Scoring test checks the calcium in your coronary arteries. The plaque in your..." + (show)
Profile picture for lenmayo @lenmayo

@tabicat03
A Calcium Scoring test checks the calcium in your coronary arteries.
The plaque in your arteries over time calcify.
It's like a cat scan. Mine was 1350 before my triple bypass.

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@lenmayo If you have soft plaque, taking a statin will calcify it. Your CAC score will go up, but that's good because the additional calcified plaque was previously soft, dangerous plaque. Nothing makes the soft plaque vanish, so better to calcify it and make it stable. A higher CAC score in this situation is a good sign.

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