Question:
I'm nervous about the results from my Thallium test,

My Thallium test shows Moderate probability of slight ischemia in anteroseptal wall and Ejection Fraction of 50% also mil global hypokinesis. My family Dr. is very cautious and caring but he wants a cardiologist to evaluate the impressions. Am I being over nervous or is this enough to keep me from surgery..I know other obese people must have heart problems. I'm just an art lover not a nurse or dr. so I'm lost and I have 2 weeks before seeing the cardiologist. Yikes..Thanks for any advice!!    — Karen Renee (posted on June 2, 2001)

June 2, 2001
Wow! I just had a thallium test too and they said my heart was pumping fine -- but after reading your results, I think I'm gonna ask for a written copy. I doubt they wrote "her heart is pumping fine!" When I want to know something, I do searches for the words on the Internet. Have you tried that?
   — Cindy H.

June 3, 2001
Wow. Talk about timely questions. I got my letter yesterday from my cardiologist that said my thallium scan is abnormal and suggests the presence of ischemia, or oxygen depravation, in the anteroapical wall. His letter suggests that Lanoxin may have caused the significant changes in my EKG and this scan. His letter said "we can either watch and wait or we do an angiogram to be sure". I plan to call in and discuss it with him, but tend to think that if it was that serious that he wouldn't leave it up to me to get the angiogram. I'm extremely interested to find out more about your tests and your results. I had hoped the weight loss would help the heart condition. I hadn't considered that the weight loss could have anything to do with this new development. What do you think?
   — marciejayne

June 3, 2001
Per my husband who works with cardiologists this information may help. An ischemic area on your scan suggests a blockage of greater than 50% of blood flow through the artery. This should be investigated by a cardiac angiogram. Not investigating this problem prior to surgery would increase the risks of the surgery.
   — Jill M.

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