Nuclear Medicine Practice Exam 2025 - Free Nuclear Medicine Practice Questions and Study Guide

The median basilic vein is recognized as the recommended injection site for a cardiac first pass study due to a number of important factors that enhance the accuracy and reliability of the procedure. This vein is typically larger and more centrally located in the forearm, providing easier access for intravenous catheterization. Moreover, it is closer to the heart compared to other injection sites, which helps to ensure that the radiopharmaceutical is delivered quickly and effectively into the circulation, allowing for appropriate early imaging of the heart.

Using the median basilic vein minimizes the risk of extravasation and ensures smoother blood flow, facilitating precise measurements of myocardial perfusion during the first pass of the radiotracer. In this context, the primary goal is to monitor how well the heart muscle receives blood right after the tracer is administered, making vein selection critical.

Other veins, while they may offer access, do not provide the same level of optimal positioning or blood flow dynamics. Therefore, the choice of the median basilic vein is based on clinicopathological principles to enhance the quality of cardiac imaging studies.