What does radionuclide ventriculography assess?

Radionuclide ventriculography, also known as nuclear stress testing or MUGA (Multigated Acquisition) scan, specifically assesses the size and shape of the heart's pumping chambers, particularly the ventricles. This imaging technique evaluates the heart's function by measuring the ejection fraction, which is the amount of blood that is pumped out of the heart with each contraction. It allows healthcare providers to visualize how well the ventricles are contracting, thereby providing valuable information about the heart’s overall pumping efficiency and any potential abnormalities in its structure.

In contrast, the assessment of the heart's electrical conduction system usually involves different tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), which tracks electrical signals in the heart. The presence of heart murmurs would generally be evaluated through physical examination and auscultation rather than radionuclide imaging, while blood pressure levels are measured directly using a sphygmomanometer and are not determined through imaging techniques like radionuclide ventriculography.