With health and fitness research at a premium in recent years, the stress test has become even more effective as a diagnostic tool. Nuclear medicine now stands center stage with this method of monitoring a patient’s cardiovascular system.

When a stress test is prescribed for a patient, he or she typically enters a hospital or clinic for an outpatient process. Upon arriving for the test, the patient’s vitals are checked first. He or she is then given an intravenous injection of a medication such as thallium, which is a metallic dye. 

During the treadmill stress test, the thallium or other medication used can be viewed as it is pumped through the heart, brain or other specific area of the body. This allows physicians to actually see areas of the heart, brain and/or other arteries in which blood flow is restricted.