by 
The Curious Bag
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A doctor performs the nuclear stress test by injecting the patient with a radioactive thallium dye after the individual exercises to increase the heart rate. This type of test is usually used to help diagnose serious heart problems.
Identification
Nuclear stress tests are performed on a person's heart to monitor how well it pumps blood during resting and active states.
Function
Physicians use a nuclear stress test to check for heart conditions in patients at risk for heart disease. In addition, the doctor may have to use this test when a physical stress test inadequately identifies the origin of heart problems.
Features
The nuclear stress test provides images from inside the chest cavity, giving the doctor a more in-depth look at the circulatory system.
Other Reasons For the Test
Doctors often perform this kind of test after a patient has had a heart attack to determine how the heart attack might affect his life, such as determining whether he can exercise. The test also measures the effectiveness of blood circulation after heart treatment.
Considerations
Physicians may use the nuclear stress test in tandem with other stress tests, such as an echocardiogram, because a woman's breast tissue and the human diaphragm sometimes produce misleading results.
Source:
Mayo Clinic: Nuclear stress test
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