Best MUGA Scan in Patchogue, New Hyde Park & Hicksville
At Brookhaven Heart, our medical specialists use multiple tools and techniques to diagnose cardiovascular conditions. One of those tools, a multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan, provides images of your heart that help our doctors see how effectively your heart performs.
Running the Test
A MUGA test is a minimally invasive procedure. To start the test, a nuclear medicine technologist will use an IV line to inject a special dye into your vein. Over the next 15 to 30 minutes, our specialists will take images of your heart using a nuclear camera that can detect the dye as it flows through your body. The entire scan usually takes between 60 and 90 minutes.
The Purpose of MUGA Scans
A MUGA scan provides physicians with a moving image of your beating heart, which allows them to:
- Determine which portion of your heart muscle has sustained damage after a heart attack or heart disease diagnosis.
- Determine the degree of damage sustained.
- Measures the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), a primary indicator for your heart’s overall functionality.
Doctors often choose MUGA scans over traditional echocardiograms or other tests because they produce highly accurate LVEF measures. Additionally, because they are minimally invasive, MUGA scans help doctors measure a patient’s cardiac function over a long period of time.
Prepare for Your Test
MUGA scans rarely require much preparation. Unless otherwise instructed by your physician, you can eat, drink and take your medications as usual. On the day of the exam, wear comfortable clothes and do not put any creams or lotions on your chest. Tell your doctors if you are pregnant or nursing, as they might prefer to use another test.
MUGA Scan vs. Echo
When determining the difference between an echocardiogram (or echo) and a Multigated Acquisition Scan (MUGA), it’s important to take note of the key components of each type of heart scan – both employ different methods for measuring heart strength, per the patient’s specific needs.
A MUGA scan is a heart test that involves radioactive material being inserted into your veins.
An echo, on the other hand, uses ultrasound technology to take pictures of your heart to measure its strength. Using these pictures, your doctor can also tell if there are any problems with your heart structure, such as fluid buildup or blocked valves.
MUGA Scan Risks
A MUGA scan is a type of heart test that measures the size and strength of the left ventricle; it can also help doctors assess which parts of your heart, if any, have sustained damages after a heart attack. There are many benefits associated with this procedure – namely, that it tends to be one of the most accurate methods for measuring LVEF.
As with any medical test, it’s always important to weigh the benefits alongside the risks. The risks of a MUGA scan include being exposed to small doses of radiation – however, this is typically no different than undergoing an X-ray or other common radiation-based procedure. Ask your doctor if you have any concerns.
MUGA Scan Ejection Fraction
A MUGA Scan is a type of Nuclear Medicine Scan that allows your doctor to capture images of your heart. MUGA (Multiple Gated Acquisition) is the specific program used to obtain the pictures and format them on the computer. We specifically use a MUGA scan to assess the size and strength of the left ventricle within the heart. This is the portion of the muscle that pumps blood throughout the entire body. A weakened ventricle often signifies heart failure.
An ejection fraction measures the pumping strength of the heart. The ejection fraction is the amount of blood pumped from the left ventricle in every single heartbeat. Typically, the ejection fraction should be over 50 percent. In patients suffering heart failure, it is usually below 40 percent. MUGA Scans and ejection fractions allow us to advise you on the best course to a healthier heart.
CPT Code for MUGA Scan
As a patient, you’re often hidden from the medical world. Doctors take their charts into another room or a lab to examine results and come back to give you your diagnosis in layman’s terms. At Brookhaven Heart, we’d like to change this. You, as our patient, deserve to understand our procedures and diagnoses. You may have heard about CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes, and wondered how they apply to your heart health.
The following CPT codes apply to MUGA scans:
- 78472 – This code references cardiac blood pool imaging, a single study while at rest or under stress, or a wall motion study including ejection fraction.
- 78473 – This can refer to numerous studies relating to wall motion and ejection fraction while at rest or under pressure, with or without quantification.
- 78496 – This code refers to a single study cardiac blood pool imaging, at rest with right ventricular ejection fraction, or first pass technique.
You should always feel free to ask your doctor about the medical terminology you hear at Brookhaven Heart!
To learn more about a MUGA scan, or to get more information about our team at Brookhaven Heart, please contact us at 631-654-3278 for our Patchogue office or (631) 654-3278 for our New Hyde Park location.
- What are the risks and benefits of having a MUGA scan? [Read The Answer]
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