You will be asked to lie on a table, then a small amount of thallium (a radioactive tracer) is injected into a vein in your arm. A special camera then measures the amount of the tracer that is carried through your bloodstream into your heart.

How long does a thallium scan take?

The thallium stress test has two parts: at rest and while exercising. It takes about 4 hours to do both parts of the test. Thallium stress tests are done in a hospital, an imaging center, or a cardiologist's clinic.

Is thallium stress test painful?

Most people tolerate the thallium stress test very well. You may feel a sting as the medication that simulates exercise is injected, followed by a warm feeling. Some people may experience headache, nausea, and a racing heart. The radioactive material will leave your body through your urine.