The Heart & Vascular Center offers a complete range of special tests to help diagnose and treat heart problems. Free parking is available close to the entrance.
For your convenience, some cardiac tests are performed in Elk River, Fridley, Maple Grove and Buffalo by our physician partners, Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute.
Adult and pediatric echocardiogram (Echo)
An echocardiogram (echo) is an ultrasound study of your heart muscle, heart valves and pericardium (sac surrounding the heart) and some of the major blood vessels connected to the heart. The test uses sound waves to see how well your heart is working.
A wand-like instrument makes the sound waves. As the wand is moved over your chest, pictures of the heart appear on a screen and are recorded. The test takes 30-45 minutes.
A bubble study can be used to add information to a regular echocardiogram or to a transesophageal echocardiogram. The most common reason for doing a bubble study is to look at the wall (septum) that divides the heart down the middle.
A saline (salt water) solution is injected into your vein and then followed by the ultrasound image as it flows through your heart.
This is also known as a Cardiolite stress test. This test allows your doctor to see if your heart muscle is getting the amount of blood that it needs through your coronary arteries.
There are two parts to the test, a "stress" portion and a "rest" portion. Images of your heart will be taken with each portion. A small amount of a safe radioactive medicine, needed for the images, will be injected into your arm for both portions of the test.
For the "stress" portion, you will walk on a treadmill until you reach a heart rate based upon your age. The radioactive medicine will be injected into your IV as you walk on the treadmill. After a short wait, you will be asked to lie on the exam table while a camera takes images of your heart.
For the "rest" portion, you will receive an injection of the radioactive medicine and have images taken.
Comparing the "stress" and "rest" images will help your doctor evaluate any areas where blood flow may be decreased to your heart muscle.
The complete test may take one to two days to complete. You will know when your appointment is scheduled if it will be one or two days.
If you are taking medicines, talk with your doctor about which ones you may take before each portion of the test.
This test will help your doctor see how well your heart is pumping. A very low dose of radioactive medicine is injected into your IV. Using a computer and a sensitive radiation detector, the radiation within your heart is measured and displayed on a video monitor.
Before and after the test, you may eat and drink as usual and take your medicines.
If you cannot walk on a treadmill or cannot walk long enough, your doctor may order a stress test done with a special medicine. There are two portions to this test:
During each portion, images using the radioactive medicine (Cardiolite) and a camera will be obtained.
If you cannot walk on the treadmill or can walk for only a very short time, your doctor may have your test done using a medicine (Adenosine) that will increase the amount of blood supply to your heart.
If you cannot walk on the treadmill and also have lung disease, such as asthma or emphysema, your doctor may have your test done with Dobutamine, a medicine that will cause your heart rate to slowly increase and your heart to pump harder.
Each of these medicines is given through an intravenous (IV) line. The radioactive imaging medicine will be injected after the infusion of these medicines. After a short wait, you will lie on the exam table while a camera takes pictures of your heart.
Comparing the "stress" and "rest" images will help your doctor evaluate any areas where blood flow may be decreased to your heart muscle.
The complete test may take one to two days to complete. You will know when your appointment is scheduled if it will be one or two days.
If you are taking medicines, talk with your doctor about which ones you may take before each portion of the test.
A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) obtains images of your heart from a small ultrasound probe (about the size of a normal piece of food) that is placed in your esophagus or swallowing tube. The probe is at the end of a small flexible tube you swallow. The TEE gives excellent pictures of the heart because the heart lies in front of the esophagus.
Do not eat or drink anything for six hours before the test. It is important that you ask your doctor for instructions about taking your medicines.
You will be given medicine to help numb the back of your throat. This will make swallowing the tube easier.
You will also be given sedating medicine through an intravenous (IV) line that will help you relax and decrease your gag reflex.
This test requires 1-1/2 to two hours to complete.
You will need a responsible adult who can drive you home and stay with you for 12 hours after the test.