American Heart Month: Nuclear Medicine and Heart Health

SNMMI's Consumer Awareness Initiative aims to familiarize members of the public with nuclear medicine and its benefits. 8 million people every year use nuclear medicine to screen for and diagnose heart disease. This helps avoid unnecessary use of more expensive, invasive procedures like cardiac catheterization or angioplasty. During a nuclear stress test, a small amount of radioactive drug is injected while a person works out on a treadmill. The radioactive imaging helps doctors see, in real time, how well the heart is pumping blood, and if there are any problems with blood flow. Dr. Dilsizian, Chief of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland, joined FOX 5 DC to tell us more.