A MUGA (multi-use games area) is a community hub where people of all ages and abilities come together to build healthy connections through playing sports. It is also known as a multi-use games court, an activity centre or a recreation facility. The MUGA Courts are owned and managed by the Council with operations undertaken by Peterston Tennis and Sports Club, a joint management committee.
A nuclear MUGA https://www.muga.co.uk/ scan, also called cardiac blood pool imaging or a nuclear ventriculography scan, is a type of heart imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer to show how well your heart pumps during rest and exercise. The test is usually done as an outpatient procedure in the nuclear medicine department of your hospital.
During the test, you lie on a table and a gamma camera takes pictures of your heart from many different angles. The tracer is delivered into your bloodstream through an IV line and the camera tracks the radiation as it passes through your heart. The test lasts about 1 hour.
You may be asked to walk on a treadmill or use a stationary bike during the test, so the doctor can see how your heart responds to exercise. You may also be given nitroglycerin to open up your blood vessels for better imaging. The test is painless and the results are typically available within a few days.
A normal MUGA result means that all areas of your heart move well during each heartbeat. Your heart doctor can use your MUGA results to calculate how well your heart is pumping blood, which is expressed as an ejection fraction percentage. A normal ejection fraction is 50 percent or higher. If your ejection fraction is lower, it might mean that your heart has damage from a previous heart attack or other disease.
The MUGA scan can detect abnormalities such as scar tissue and clots in your arteries. It can also show how well your heart’s ventricles, the lower chambers, are pumping blood to the rest of your body. Your doctor can use these results to determine whether you need more tests or treatments.
Before a MUGA scan, tell your doctor if you have a pacemaker or are pregnant or breastfeeding. You could be exposed to too much radiation during the test if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and the radiotracer might make its way into your breast milk.
MUGA results are expressed as an ejection fraction percentage, which your heart doctor can use to evaluate your heart’s function and the condition of your arteries. The test can help your doctor decide on further tests or treatment, such as a stress test or coronary angiogram.
If your MUGA result is normal, it means that all parts of your heart are moving well during each heartbeat and your arteries are in good shape. Your heart doctor can also use MUGA results to find out how fast your heart is pumping. This information can help your heart doctor determine if you have a disease that affects your heart’s movement, such as fibromuscular dystrophy.