Cardiac stress test with radioactive dye?

Cardiac stress test with radioactive dye?

• My parent had this test, cardiac stress test with radioactive nuclide dye. How long does it take for this chemical to run out of a persons body? Now she feels funny, and nervous at night...is this normal after this test? Thanks

• Answer:

  Radionuclide injected into the body are not chemicals. They are usually just saline solution that are radioactive because they were radiated. They are virtually harmless. There is a term called "half life". Every element radioactive, has a half life. That is the time where the radioactivity of that substance is cut in half. In most exams like this, the half life is about two to three days. The radioactivity is so low that no adverse reaction or issues should arise from having it in the system. They, your parents, would be more likely to have any "reactions" to the exercise portion of the test than anything injected into them. They should contact their doctor. There will be no sign of radioactivity in one week that can be detected.