Life in a Blender Family Medicine performs Nuclear Stress Testing on-site monthly. Previously only offered in hospitals or at certain specialist’s offices, this valuable diagnostic test is conveniently and cost-effectively administered in our building for those patients in need of high-tech cardiovascular evaluation. Coupled with our in-house diagnostic and screening Ultrasonography, it further reflects upon our mission to unite the friendly service of the old-time country doctor’s office with 21st century medical technology.
A Nuclear Stress Test is one of several types of stress tests that may be performed alone – or in combination with other medical methods – to evaluate a patient’s risk of a cardiac event, coronary artery disease, or if they may have (or have had) a heart attack.The test incorporates imaging tools and a radioactive dye to measure the blood flow through the heart while at rest and after some physical exertion. The Nuclear Stress Test aids in showing the areas of a patient’s heart that may have been affected by a damaged heart muscle or low blood flow.
Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound (ultrasound) waves to produce images of internal organs and other tissues while using a device called a transducer. The transducer converts electrical current into sound waves, which bounce off of internal bodily structures, are reflected back as electrical signals, and then converted into images.
Ultrasonography is relatively inexpensive, completely painless, considered very safe, and is commonly used to:
- distinguish conditions of the urinary tract such as benign cysts, solid masses, and kidney stones, or many other structural abnormalities in the bladder or kidneys, ureter, or bladder
- detect inflammation or tumors in the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, or pregnancy concerns such as to evaluate the development of the fetus or any abnormalities of the placenta
- evaluate heart health such as enlargement of heart chambers or walls, to detect heart beat patterns, and monitor conditions such as defective heart valves
- discern narrowed or dilated blood vessels
- monitor the condition of the biliary tract, gallbladder, and to identify gallstones or bile duct blockages
- discover disorders or tumors of the liver, pancreas, or spleen
Please share your health concerns with us during your next appointment, or simply inquire with a member of our staff if you wish to learn more and discuss these testing options.
