The key difference between nuclear stress test and echocardiogram is that nuclear stress test is an imaging test that evaluates how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise by using a small amount of radioactive material, while an echocardiogram is an imaging test that evaluates the blood flow through the heart and blood vessels by using an ultrasound procedure.
Cardiovascular disorder can affect the blood flow to the heart, brain, or other body parts because of a blood clot formed inside an artery. This leads to the hardening and narrowing of arteries, known as atherosclerosis. Nuclear stress test and echocardiogram are two popular imaging tests used to diagnose cardiovascular disorders.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Nuclear Stress Test
3. What is Echocardiogram
4. Similarities – Nuclear Stress Test and Echocardiogram
5. Nuclear Stress Test vs Echocardiogram in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Nuclear Stress Test vs Echocardiogram
What is a Nuclear Stress Test?
A nuclear stress test is a type of imaging test that shows how blood goes to the heart while it is at rest and during exercise. This test uses a small amount of radioactive material called radiotracer in the procedure. The radiotracer is given intravenously to the patient. Later, an imaging machine takes pictures of how the radiotracer moves through the arteries of the heart, which ultimately helps find areas of poor blood flow in the heart.
The nuclear stress test is also one type of stress test. It incorporates a positron emission technology (PET) scanner or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanner. The risks involved in this procedure include irregular heartbeats, low blood pressure, heart attack, anxiety, flushing, headache, nausea, shakiness, and shortness of breath. Furthermore, on average, patients are expected to pay around $200 to $400 for a nuclear stress test in the United States.
What is an Echocardiogram?
Echocardiogram is an ultra-scan used to evaluate the heart and nearby blood vessels. An echocardiogram incorporates sound waves to create pictures of the heart and its blood vessels. This test shows blood flow through the heart and its valves. There are different types of echocardiogram such as transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), fetal echocardiogram, and stress echocardiogram. This test is usually performed when the heart is under rest. But it can also be performed when the heart is under stress.
Moreover, the risks involved in echocardiogram procedure include backaches, headaches, rashes, difficulty swallowing, weak or scratchy voice, muscle spasms in the throat or lungs, minor bleeding in the throat area, injuries to teeth, gums or lips, esophageal perforation, arrhythmias, and nausea from medicines used during the test. Furthermore, echocardiograms, on average, can range from $1,000 to $3,000 in the United States.
What are the Similarities Between Nuclear Stress Test and Echocardiogram?
- Nuclear stress test and echocardiogram are two popular imaging tests used to diagnose cardiovascular disorders.
- Both tests show the blood flow through the heart.
- Qualified medical professionals perform both tests.
- Both tests are non-invasive.
- But they may have some risks.
- They are relatively inexpensive procedures.
What is the Difference Between Nuclear Stress Test and Echocardiogram?
A nuclear stress test is an imaging test that evaluates how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise by using a small amount of radioactive material, while an echocardiogram is an imaging test that evaluates the blood flow through the heart and blood vessels by using an ultrasound procedure. Thus, this is the key difference between nuclear stress test and echocardiogram. When compared to nuclear stress tests, echocardiograms are comparatively more common tests for the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.
The infographic below presents the differences between nuclear stress test and echocardiogram in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Nuclear Stress Test vs Echocardiogram
Cardiovascular disorder is the leading cause of death globally, estimated to be taking around 17.9 million lives each year. A blood clot causes it due to the build-up of fatty deposits inside an artery. Nuclear stress test and echocardiogram are two popular imaging tests used to diagnose cardiovascular disorders. Nuclear stress test evaluates how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise by using a small amount of radioactive material, while an echocardiogram evaluates the blood flow through the heart and blood vessels by using an ultrasound procedure. So, this is the summary of the difference between nuclear stress test and echocardiogram.
Reference:
1. “Echocardiogram.” NHS Choices.
2. “Nuclear Stress Test.” Mayo Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Nl mpi2” (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Echocardiogram” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia