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.
Cardiac Cycle
The four phases of the cardiac cycle are diastole, isovolumetric contraction, systole, and isovolumetric relaxation. During diastole, the heart muscles relax and the chambers fill with blood. In isovolumetric contraction, the heart muscles contract but the chambers do not change volume. Systole is when the chambers contract and blood is ejected. Finally, isovolumetric relaxation is when the heart relaxes but the chambers do not change volume.
The force exerted on the arterial walls during cardiac contraction is systolic blood pressure. In contrast, diastolic blood pressure is the force exerted during cardiac relaxation.
The cardiac cycle consists of five phases: 1) Atrial Systole, where the atria contract to fill the ventricles with blood; 2) Ventricular Systole, during which the ventricles contract to pump blood into the aorta and pulmonary artery; 3) Isovolumetric Contraction, where the ventricles contract without changing volume as the valves close; 4) Ventricular Diastole, when the ventricles relax and fill with blood; and 5) Atrial Diastole, where the atria relax and fill with blood returning from the body and lungs. This cycle ensures efficient blood circulation throughout the body.
The volume of blood pumped during each cardiac cycle is known as stroke volume. It represents the amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle in one contraction. It is an important factor in determining cardiac output.
A cardiac cycle typically lasts about 0.8 seconds in a resting adult, but this duration can vary based on heart rate and individual health. The cycle consists of two main phases: diastole, when the heart relaxes and fills with blood, and systole, when the heart contracts to pump blood out. During exercise or increased physical activity, the cardiac cycle may shorten as the heart rate increases.
diastolic
Cardiac pumps the blood to different parts of your body.
Cardiac output typically decreases during dehydration. When fluid levels are low, there is less circulating blood volume, leading to a decrease in the amount of blood pumped out by the heart per minute. This reduction in cardiac output helps conserve remaining fluids in the body.
During the diastole phase of the cardiac cycle, blood flows into the atria. Specifically, this occurs when the heart muscles relax, allowing the atria to fill with blood from the veins. This phase is crucial for adequately preparing the ventricles for the subsequent contraction during systole.
systole
The patient needs to remain silent and motionless during the test.