Two types of agents are used:
- Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging agent (either Technetium-99 or Thallium)
- allows measurement of blood flow through myocardium
- Pharmacologic stress agent (Adenosine or Dipyridamole [Persantine])
- induce coronary vasodilation increasing coronary flow rates
- in normal coronary arteries, blood flow increases
- in an artery with stenosis there is already dilatation at rest and no further increase in blood flow can occur
- there is a lack of increased flow seen by perfusion imaging