Cardiac marker tests identify blood chemicals associated with myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack.

To perform a cardiac blood pool scan, the patient lies under a special gamma scintillation camera that detects radiation. A protein tagged with a radioactive marker (usually technetium-99m) is injected into the patient's forearm.

Troponins I and T are considered superior cardiac markers for several reasons. The most significant is that cardiac troponins are the only markers specific for heart muscle. Other markers also increase following damage to other muscles.

some adjectives for marker could be: blue marker, red marker, black marker <--- if you are referring to a texta

CKMB and Troponin marker tests are used for diagnosis of a myocardial infarction. (heart attack). Keeping in mind that a positive blood marker is but one of three criteria used. For a diagnosis of an MI two of three criteria must be met. 1. positive elevation of the st segment in an ECG, 2. Symptoms consistent with myocardial infarction and/or 3. a positive troponin or CKMB.

CKMB measures creatine kinase. This is a by product in blood from muscle damage. As the heart is a muscle this can be indicative of cardiac damage. This test is less reliable than a troponin test as results can be altered by other muscle damage. CKMB is not cardiac specific. Troponin is now the most commonly used test for cardiac damage. It is cardiac specific.