Muga test

on the MUGA or FEV test - what does the % mean? % of what? and what is good and what is bad?
thanks Sarah

The % is the ejection fraction - left ventricular ejection fraction, known as LVEF. The MUGA measures (somehow, don't ask me for any real details!) the rate at which blood is pumped through the heart. I was told anything over 50% is good. I was at 70% before AC, then 69% after, 65% before starting Herceptin, and was told last week that last MUGA (after 3 months of Herceptin) was fine, but was given no actual % yet. I think the concern is if it drops more than about 15% in a certain period, and/or if it goes below 50%, but then again I don't even play a doctor on TV...!

The percentage is the difference of when the heart has pumped out its blood, over the full capacity of the heart. It determines the strength of the heart muscles.

Many women take Coenzyme COq10 as a way to strenghten their hearts. There is some evidence that it works but is not conclusive.

Regards
Joe

I found this for you in one of my nursing books, hope it helps.

Ejection fraction (EF) is a measure of the pumping capacity of the heart. It refers to the percentage of blood in the heart chamber that is pumped out each cycle. A normal EF is about 60%. Ejection fractions are graded as mild decrease (35-50%), moderate decrease (25-35%), and severe decrease (<25%). Usually the EF will not go below 10%. A low EF may be due to artery blockages, high blood pressure, myocarditis or a variety of other more rare conditions. The MUGA measures how much blood your heart pumps, or "ejects" with each contraction (EF) and how quickly that blood is ejected. EF is actually figured with a mathematical formula : EF = (end diastolic volume - end systolic volume) divided by (end diastolic volume - background).

The ejection fraction is a measurement of the heart's efficiency and can be used to estimate the function of the left ventricle, which pumps blood to the rest of the body.

The left ventricle pumps only a fraction of the blood it contains. The ejection fraction is the amount of blood pumped divided by the amount of blood the ventricle contains. A normal ejection fraction is more than 55% of the blood volume. If the heart becomes enlarged, even if the amount of blood being pumped by the left ventricle remains the same, the relative fraction of blood being ejected decreases. For example:

A healthy heart with a total blood volume of 100 mL that pumps 60 mL to the aorta has an ejection fraction of 60%.
A heart with an enlarged left ventricle that has a total blood volume of 140 mL and pumps the same amount (60 mL) to the aorta has an ejection fraction of 43%.

thanks for the helpful info. Again, it's great to have all of you out there.
I'm a little confused because in France the scan is called FEV and at first I was 57% now I'm 68% so tests must be a little different here. I was told my heart had improved.
Lately I've been having pain in that area and started to wonder if it was more than indigestion or a muscle pull - I'm no althelete.
thanks again
sarah