MUGA Scan - Whats involved.

I have to go for a MUGA scan next week. To test my heart before I have chemo as one of the ones I am having affects the heart apparently. FEC and Taxtore (sp?) Can anyone tell me what is involved in the scan. What do they do?Does it hurt? etc etc. Thanks

Hi Mandy

I had a couple of heart scans before starting chemo and also since and they are nothing to worry about. I had pads attached to my chest area and then they use some kind of gel and scan your heart. I also had an ECG and again nothing to worry about and none of it hurts or is uncomfortable thankfully.

Ruby

Hi Mandy

I had a Muga scan before starting chemo, i agree with ruby it wasn’t anything to worry about. I had to go to the nuclear medicine dept for mine as i was injected with a radioactive substance. They need to do this so your heart function shows up on the scan. After i was injected i was sent away for an hour so it could circulate round my system. The scan itself just involved me lying still for about 20 minutes.

The only side effect was that i was advised not to let my kids cuddle up to me for 24 hours as young children were more susceptible to the radioactive substance they had injected. Kids thought this was funny and wanted to know if i would glow in the dark.

Best of luck

Lesley

X

Hi Mandy

Mine was the same as Lesley. Had it at Nuclear Medicine Dept, was injected with radioactive substance - told to go off for a cup of tea/wander etc and come back in 45 mins. Then just involved lying still on the scanner for 15 - 20 mins - then it was over!

You’ll be ok!

Margaret x