1, 5. Exercise stress testing is helpful for risk stratification in patients undergoing vascular surgery and in those who have active cardiac symptoms before undergoing nonemergent noncardiac ...The provider performs a PET myocardial imaging scan, a type of nuclear imaging test, with CT transmission scan that reveals blood flow to and from the heart (perfusion). Ejection fraction and ventricular wall motion studies are included if performed. This code is for multiple studies at rest and with pharmacologic or exercise stress testing.Coding: There must be a CPT code or HCPCS code that accurately describes the service performed ... exercise stress test, CPT 93017, and all pharmacologic stress ...Oct 1, 2015 · Coverage Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity. CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS TESTING A cardiovascular stress test is a diagnostic test designed to evaluate a patient for the presence or the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), exercise-induced arrhythmias or hemodynamic changes, and/or cardiac functional capacity. When coding for a full echocardiogram by a physician, code 93306 shows the complete echo. TOPIC 02: Assigning Codes from the Cardiovascular System Subsection: Cardiac Catheterization (93501 to 93581) Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic medical procedure used to identify valve disorders and abnormal blood flow.CPT® codes 33530 and 33517 are add-on codes, so modifier 51 is not appended. CPT® code 35600 is modifier 51 exempt. See an expert-written answer! ... A physician supervises a patient during a cardiac stress test performed at the hospital and writes the interpretation and report. What CPT® coding is reported for the physician NOT employed by ...In recent years, for instance, there have been several changes to the CPT codes related to cardiopulmonary stress tests. Code 93015, once used broadly for cardiovascular stress tests, has been subdivided into codes 93016-93018 to represent distinct components of the testing process.It starts off slow. Heart rate building. Dry mouth. A drip of sweat slowly rolling down from your temple to your cheek. And then wham. A punch to the gut. Stress. It’s inevitable i...A patient presents for a cardiac stress test at the hospital. The same physician supervises the test, interprets the study and documents the official report. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported? A) 93015 B) 93015-26 C) 93016, 93017, 93018 D) 93016, 93018 Cardiopulmonary exercise testing entails measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide output (VCO2), minute ventilation (VE), and other variables in addition to a 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure (BP) monitoring and pulse oximetry. These data are gathered during a maximal symptom-limited incremental exercise test. ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical Necessity for Cardiac Blood Pool Studies, CPT codes 78472, 78473, 78481, 78483, 78494 and 78496 Report Z01.818 when the test is performed as a baseline study before chemotherapy Sestamibi (also known as Cardiolite) is reported to Medicare carriers with HCPCS code A9500 ( Supply of radiopharmaceutical diagnostic imaging agent, technetium Tc 99m sestamibi, per dose ). If two doses are provided, a "2" should be noted in the units box of the claim form. Private carriers may require 78990 ( Provision of diagnostic ...Olathe, KS. Best answers. 0. Jan 17, 2012. #3. I have been using 78452 for multiple studies at rest and/or stress along with 93015 and then the drug codes A9500 and/or J2785 (if Lexiscan is used). The patient has a stress test one day and then comes back the second day for the resting part of the exam.Jun 26, 2023 · Lights, camera, stress test action! CPT Code 93015 unfolds the cardiovascular drama during exercise. With continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, it reveals the heart’s response in a thrilling performance. It’s a diagnostic spectacle that aids in assessing cardiac health under stress. CPT Code 93224 – Holter Monitoring Revelation: The codes are: 76818 Fetal biophysical profile; with non-stress testing. 76819 Fetal biophysical profile; without non-stress testing. Indications for these codes include maternal hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coagulation defects, and multiple gestations, to name a few.Finally, a new code for absolute quantitation of myocardial blood flow (AQMBF), 78434, is now available in 2020. When myocardial perfusion studies are performed during exercise and/or pharmacologic stress, the appropriate stress testing code from the 93015–93018 series may be reported in addition to the appropriate PET code.Last Reviewed: Aug 18, 2023. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a non-invasive imaging test that shows how well blood flows through your heart muscle. It can show areas of the heart muscle that aren’t getting enough blood flow. It can also show how well the heart muscle is pumping. This test is often called a nuclear stress test.In the world of medical billing and coding, accurate CPT code descriptions are essential for ensuring proper reimbursement and maintaining compliance. CPT codes, or Current Procedu...As an alternative to invasive coronary angiography following a stress test that is equivocal or suspected to be inaccurate. ... Computed tomography CPT codes and Fee schedule. Insurance CPT Code 75571 CPT Code 75572 CPT Code 75573 ... I25.10 – I25.119 – Opens in a new window Atherosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery without ...We use CPT codes 93350 and 93351 to capture and bill for stress echocardiograms, including continuous electrocardiographic monitoring. CPT code 93350 represents a complete study, including a rest and stress echocardiogram. It encompasses both the professional and technical components of the procedure.According to CPT® Assistant, 93015 represents a complete cardiac stress test procedure, which includes the technical and professional components of the service …CPT code. CPT description. 93350. Echocardiography, transthoracic, real-time with image documentation (2D), includes M-mode recording, when performed, during rest andcardiovascular stress test using treadmill, bicycle exercise and/or pharmacologically-induced stress, with interpretation and report. 93351.The CPT code for a cardiac stress test is 93015. If both diagnostic pulmonary and cardiac measurements are performed during the same test, CPT code 93018 is added to either the simple or complex pulmonary …The codes are: 76818 Fetal biophysical profile; with non-stress testing. 76819 Fetal biophysical profile; without non-stress testing. Indications for these codes include maternal hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coagulation defects, and multiple gestations, to name a few.Combat the #1 denial reason - mismatched CPT-ICD-9 codes - with top Medicare carrier and private payer accepted diagnoses for the chosen CPT® code. View the CPT® code's corresponding procedural code and DRG.ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical Necessity for Cardiac Blood Pool Studies, CPT codes 78472, 78473, 78481, 78483, 78494 and 78496 Report Z01.818 when the test is performed as a baseline study before chemotherapyWe received multiple denials since the first of the year from medicare on CPT code 93015 when done with 78452 for nuclear stress test. Denial states "HPSA/Physician scarcity bonus can only be paid on...When a separate charge is reported for cardiovascular stress testing (procedure code 93015 or 93018), the stress test is eligible in addition to the allowance for the nuclear study. However, if two cardiovascular stress studies are performed on the same day in conjunction with exercise and resting nuclear studies, only one of the …July 16, 2012 by Laureen Jandroep. Mimi had asked for some medical coding help and if we would explain 93015 and that’s the CPT code for a cardio stress test. The background about a stress test is that they do them for various reasons but they’re actually testing the heart. (Note: Correct code for this video is 93015- and has been replaced ...Have you ever wondered how intelligent you are? IQ tests have long been used as a measure of cognitive ability and are often seen as a benchmark for intelligence. However, not all ...Follow these handy tips to submit clean tilt table tests in your practice. Tip 1: Focus on Correct Reporting for Tilt Table Testing. Report a tilt table test with global code 93660 (Evaluation of cardiovascular function with tilt table evaluation, with continuous ECG monitoring and intermittent blood pressure monitoring, with or without ...Oct 20, 2020 · Follow 5 Rules When Reporting Stress Echoes With Stress Tests. A cardiac stress test is one component of the stress echo. When a stress echo is performed, the cardiologist will take echocardiographic images of the wall of the left heart before, after, and sometimes during the stress test to monitor the motion and thickening of specific walls, according to CPT ® Assistant. CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS TEST USING MAXIMAL OR SUBMAXIMAL TREADMILL OR BICYCLE EXERCISE, CONTINUOUS ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MONITORING, AND/OR PHARMACOLOGICAL STRESS; TRACING ONLY, WITHOUT INTERPRETATION AND REPORT ... ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical …A nuclear stress test is an imaging test that shows how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise. It uses a small amount of radioactive material, called a tracer or radiotracer. The substance is given by IV. An imaging machine takes pictures of how the tracer moves through the heart arteries. This helps find areas of poor blood flow ...Python has become one of the most popular programming languages in recent years. Its simplicity, versatility, and extensive library support make it a top choice for developers. As ...Pulmonary Stress Test: How to Differentiate Stress Test Codes and Get Your Claim Paid the First Time Around ... CPT 94621 measures the cardiac and pulmonary responses to exercise and the status of the patient's physical fitness. The test measures the patient's CO2 production, O2 uptake, ventilation, and other pulmonary parameters in addition ...You can take our free social anxiety test to determine whether you may have symptoms of social anxiety disorder and may benefit from speaking with a mental health professional. Whe... Test and CPT code* Indication Medicare reimbursement ... Stable ischemic heart disease. Using stress and imaging procedures to direct therapy. Postgrad Med. 1996;99(2):63-6. CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS TESTING A cardiovascular stress test is a diagnostic test designed to evaluate a patient for the presence or the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), exercise-induced arrhythmias or hemodynamic changes, and/or cardiac functional capacity. ... Enter the CPT/HCPCS code in the MCD Search and …Confused on the 93351 comment. In the CPT book it states that when all professional services are not performed by the same physician, use the 93350 in conjunction to the stress test codes. So if done ... [ Read More ]CPT stands for Current Procedural Terminology and is administered by the AMA (American Medical Association). HCPCS stands for Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System and is base...Code. Description. 94617. EXERCISE TEST FOR BRONCHOSPASM, INCLUDING PRE- AND POST-SPIROMETRY AND PULSE OXIMETRY; WITH ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING (S) 94618. PULMONARY STRESS TESTING (EG, 6-MINUTE WALK TEST), INCLUDING MEASUREMENT OF HEART RATE, OXIMETRY, AND OXYGEN TITRATION, WHEN PERFORMED. 94619. EXERCISE TEST FOR BRONCHOSPASM, INCLUDING ...July 16, 2012 by Laureen Jandroep. Mimi had asked for some medical coding help and if we would explain 93015 and that’s the CPT code for a cardio stress test. The background about a stress test is that they do them for various reasons but they’re actually testing the heart. (Note: Correct code for this video is 93015- and has been replaced ...1. Zero In on These Codes for Stress Tests. What happens: Cardiologists use stress tests, also called treadmill or exercise tests, to see how well a patient’s heart deals with work. When a patient takes a stress test, the cardiologist (or tech) hooks the patient up to heart monitoring equipment, and the patient walks slowly on a treadmill.CPT codes not covered for indications listed in the CPB: 92997: Percutaneous transluminal pulmonary artery balloon angioplasty; single vessel. ... Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with physician supervision, with ...A PET Myocardial Perfusion (MP) Stress Test evaluates the blood flow (perfusion) through the coronary arteries to the heart muscle using a radioactive tracer.The physician or hospital billing may bill for the services provided in performing the stress tests with myocardial perfusion imaging. As noted in the CPT introduction to the Cardiovascular System section “the appropriate stress test code from the 93015-93108 series should be reported in addition to 78451-78454, 78472-78492.”.CPT code 93015 should be used when a cardiovascular stress test is performed using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress. The provider must supervise the test, interpret the data, and complete a report on the findings. 6. Documentation requirements. The CPT code for a cardiac stress test is 93015. If both diagnostic pulmonary and cardiac measurements are performed during the same test, CPT code 93018 is added to either the simple or complex pulmonary testing codes as performed. The Correct Coding Initiative bundles a series of CPT codes together when procedures are typically performed ... Policy Number: General Coding - 018 Policy Title: Myocardial Perfusion (Cardiovascular Stress Test) Section: General Coding Effective Date: 11/29/17 This policy addresses cardiovascular stress studies and eligibility restrictions. Definitions 93015 Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise,Sep 1, 2017 · 1, 5. Exercise stress testing is helpful for risk stratification in patients undergoing vascular surgery and in those who have active cardiac symptoms before undergoing nonemergent noncardiac ... Cardiac Stress Testing: CPT codes covered if selection criteria are met: 93015: Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with supervision, interpretation and report:The right external iliac, femoral and popliteal arteries are normal. What CPT® codes are reported? 36200, 75716-26, ... A patient presents for a cardiac stress test at the hospital. The same physician supervises the test, interprets the study and documents the official report. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported?MYOCARDIAL SPECT PERFUSION STRESS &/OR REST CPT CODE: 78460-61, 78464-65, 78478, 78480 ... If too many heart beats are being dropped, the acquisition should be terminated. A new acquisition can then be selected but imaging needs to re-start from the ... 5. Once the stress test is complete, the request will be given to the appropriate imagingThis series of CPT ® codes is for the stress test performed in conjunction with the nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion study. Pick the appropriate code for the service provided. 93016: Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or …The drug (if used) is not separately billable by the physician. c. The IV administration of the drug (CPT codes 90765, 90768, 90772, 90774) is considered included in the stress test (CPT codes 93015, 93016, 93018). 2. When the test is performed in a physician's office: a. The total may be billed with the use of 93015.PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after a traumatic event. You can take this quiz to determine whether you may be living with PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder ...A cardiovascular stress test (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic) will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for the following conditions: Stress Testing without Imaging: For the diagnosis of suspected and prognosis of coronary artery disease in ... myocardial perfusion imaging are single (at rest or stress, CPT code 78451) and ...The following coding and billing guidance is to be used with its associated Local Coverage Determination. Pulmonary Function Testing codes: CPT codes relative to Medicare’s standards of reasonable and necessary care are: 94070, 94200, 94640, 94726, 94727 and 94729. Spirometry - CPT codes for Spirometry include 94010, 94011, 94012, 94060 ...When anxious and afraid, narwhals' pulse drops dangerously low. Narwhals are not cool under pressure. When stressed, they use up almost all of their energy in an instant by essenti...Dec 20, 2016 · Start With Stress Test Codes 93015–93018. Codes 93015–93018 are the backbone of cardiovascular stress test coding. All of their descriptors start with the same wording: “Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress.”. Myocardial Perfusion imaging studies with planar myocardial perfusion imaging can be reported with CPT 78453 and CPT 78454. For planar myocardial perfusion imaging, stress is induced with the standard treadmill exercise test or pharmacologically with the infusion of a vasodilator if the test is to be done under stress conditions.The official description of CPT code 93015 is: “ Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with supervision, interpretation and report .”. The techniques included in CPT code 93015 are: Pharmacological stress.Combat the #1 denial reason - mismatched CPT-ICD-9 codes - with top Medicare carrier and private payer accepted diagnoses for the chosen CPT® code. View the CPT® code's corresponding procedural code and DRG.An exercise stress echocardiogram is one of many tests providers use to diagnose and monitor heart-related diseases. It assesses your heart function under stress and can show problems that aren’t visible when your heart is resting. Your provider may recommend an echo stress test if you have symptoms of heart disease or an existing heart ...You can take our free social anxiety test to determine whether you may have symptoms of social anxiety disorder and may benefit from speaking with a mental health professional. Whe...While working as a software engineer in Japan, Singapore and San Francisco for the past 10 years, Ryo Chikazawa, CEO and co-founder of Autify, came to realize that there’s one comm...CPT code 97110 provides information about medical procedures and services to payers and indicate that the procedure involves therapeutic exercises that develop endurance, range of ...The following list of ICD-10-CM codes applies to cardiovascular stress testing CPT codes 93015, 93016, 93017, 93018, 93350, 93351 93352 and J0153. Since J0395, J1245, and J1250 may be billed for indications other than pharmacological stress agents with cardiovascular testing, the use of these drugs is not subject to the following list of ICD-10 ...The official description of CPT code 93017 is: “Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; tracing only, without interpretation and report.”. 3. Procedure. The patient is prepared for the cardiovascular stress test, which ...Notify the staff if you have a pacemaker or defibrillator. Please wear comfortable clothing as well as a pair of comfortable walking shoes or sneakers. Based upon your medical condition, your physician may request other specific preparation. Nuclear Stress Procedure A nuclear stress test may be performed on an outpatient basis or as part of your stay in …A metabolic exercise stress test, also called a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), measures how your lungs and heart respond to physical activity. The test measures the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood and shows how much air your lungs can take in. It’s valuable for people with heart failure, COPD and many other …In the complex world of medical billing and coding, accurate documentation is crucial for maximizing revenue and ensuring efficiency. One tool that can greatly aid in this process ...A stress test can show areas of poor blood flow to the heart and help diagnose heart be a sign of heart conditions including: Coronary artery disease (CAD) Valvular heart disease. Arrhythmia. If you are experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain, we use stress tests to detect abnormal changes in your blood pressure or heart ...By Jill M. Young, CPC, CEDC, CIMC. When reported to Medicare, cardiac (93015-93024) and pulmonary (94620-94621) stress tests must meet applicable supervision requirements. You also must remember that in the outpatient setting only a physician—never a non-physician practitioner (NPP)—may act as the supervising entity … ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical Necessity for Cardiac Blood Pool Studies, CPT codes 78472, 78473, 78481, 78483, 78494 and 78496 Report Z01.818 when the test is performed as a baseline study before chemotherapy CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS TEST USING MAXIMAL OR SUBMAXIMAL TREADMILL OR BICYCLE EXERCISE, CONTINUOUS ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MONITORING, AND/OR PHARMACOLOGICAL STRESS; TRACING ONLY, WITHOUT INTERPRETATION AND REPORT ... ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical …CPT Codes: 93350, 93351, +93320, +93321, +93325, +93352, +93356 ... (ischemia on stress test or FFR ≤ 0.80 or significant stenosis in a major vessel (≥ 50% left main coronary artery or ≥ 70% LAD, LCX, RCA)), over two years ago without intervening ... history of ischemic heart disease, history of congestive heart failure, ...Resting heart rate is 80 beats per minute, has been changed to 108 beats per minute towards the end of the test. Resting blood pressure is 170/100, has been changed to 172/98 towards the end of the test. No significant malignant arrhythmias noted. CONCLUSION: 1) Test was negative for chest pain.Cardiovascular Stress Testing CPT code 93015, 93016, 93017, J2785 – lexiscan, usage | Medicare Payment, Reimbursement, CPT code, ICD, Denial Guidelines. by Medicalbilling4u | 1 comment. Procedure code and description.The codes are: 76818 Fetal biophysical profile; with non-stress testing. 76819 Fetal biophysical profile; without non-stress testing. Indications for these codes include maternal hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coagulation defects, and multiple gestations, to name a few.Exercise stress testing is used to detect inducible cardiac ischemia in symptomatic intermediate-risk patients who can exercise and who have interpretable …Mar 28, 2019 · *Use ICD-10 code R94.39 when an abnormal or non-diagnostic stress test is the reason cardiac imaging is being performed. *Use ICD-10 code Z79.899 for patients who will be treated with an interleukin-2 product and for imaging indications related to patients on digoxin, beta blocker, calcium channel blocker and/or other antiarrhythmic medication ... CPT code. CPT description. 93350. Echocardiography, transthoracic, real-time with image documentation (2D), includes M-mode recording, when performed, during rest andcardiovascular stress test using treadmill, bicycle exercise and/or pharmacologically-induced stress, with interpretation and report. 93351.Try your hand at coding the following scenarios to identify where your stress test coding knowledge shines, and where it needs to be polished. Check Which Components Are Included. 1. Scenario: A patient complains of chest pain (786.50) and heart palpitations (785.1). A physician uses the hospital's equipment to perform a cardiac stress test.Cardiac Stress Testing: CPT codes covered if selection criteria are met: 93015: Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with supervision, interpretation and report: 93016: supervision only, without interpretation and report ...Code 93319 is a new add-on code for 3D Imaging of Cardiac Structures that should be used as an add on to echocardiography codes. See the CPT book for coding …External hard drives are great for all sorts of things, but sometimes you get a bum drive. Doing a secure erase of the drive gives it a stress test before you put it into service....This easy to use feature contains over 120 questions and answers related to topics such as cardiac, endocrine, neurology, nuclear medicine-related drugs, oncology, PET, PET/CT, radiopharmaceuticals, and more! * Please note that ALL information and materials within the SNMMI Coding Corner are direct products of the SNMMI Coding and Reimbursement ...
MYOCARDIAL SPECT PERFUSION STRESS &/OR REST CPT CODE: 78460-61, 78464-65, 78478, 78480 ... If too many heart beats are being dropped, the acquisition should be terminated. A new acquisition can then be selected but imaging needs to re-start from the ... 5. Once the stress test is complete, the request will be given to the appropriate imaging. Bisphoric
A patient presents for a cardiac stress test at the hospital. The same physician supervises the test, interprets the study and documents the official report. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported? A) 93015 B) 93015-26 C) 93016, 93017, 93018 D) 93016, 93018The codes are: 76818 Fetal biophysical profile; with non-stress testing. 76819 Fetal biophysical profile; without non-stress testing. Indications for these codes include maternal hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coagulation defects, and multiple gestations, to …Last Reviewed: Aug 18, 2023. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a non-invasive imaging test that shows how well blood flows through your heart muscle. It can show areas of the heart muscle that aren’t getting enough blood flow. It can also show how well the heart muscle is pumping. This test is often called a nuclear stress test.93016 - CPT® Code in category: Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bi... CPT Code information is available to subscribers and includes the CPT code number, short description, long description, guidelines and more.Test and CPT code* Indication Medicare reimbursement ... Stable ischemic heart disease. Using stress and imaging procedures to direct therapy. Postgrad Med. 1996;99(2):63-6.Code. Description. 94617. EXERCISE TEST FOR BRONCHOSPASM, INCLUDING PRE- AND POST-SPIROMETRY AND PULSE OXIMETRY; WITH ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING (S) 94618. PULMONARY STRESS TESTING (EG, 6-MINUTE WALK TEST), INCLUDING MEASUREMENT OF HEART RATE, OXIMETRY, AND OXYGEN TITRATION, WHEN PERFORMED. 94619. EXERCISE TEST FOR BRONCHOSPASM, INCLUDING ...CPT Code 78451, Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine Procedures, Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine Procedures on the Cardiovascular System - Codify by AAPC ... Myocardial Perfusion Study[/b] Good morning, A stress test and a myocardial perfusion study are two different tests but can be performed at the same time for some patients. The stress test …Oct 1, 2015 · ICD-10-CM Codes That Support Medical Necessity for Cardiac Blood Pool Studies, CPT codes 78472, 78473, 78481, 78483, 78494 and 78496 Report Z01.818 when the test is performed as a baseline study before chemotherapy Jun 28, 2023 · A cardiac stress test, also called a stress test, exercise electrocardiogram, treadmill test, graded exercise test, exercise electrocardiography, or stress ECG, is a test used to provide information about how the heart responds to exertion or induced stress. It usually involves walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike at increasing ... A nuclear stress test is an imaging test that shows how blood goes to the heart at rest and during exercise. It uses a small amount of radioactive material, called a tracer or radiotracer. The substance is given by IV. An imaging machine takes pictures of how the tracer moves through the heart arteries. This helps find areas of poor blood flow ...Coverage Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity. CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS TESTING A cardiovascular stress test is a diagnostic test designed to evaluate a patient for the presence or the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), exercise-induced arrhythmias or hemodynamic changes, and/or cardiac functional capacity..