What is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is defined as sound with a frequency greater than 20,000 Hertz, above the range audible to the human ear. An Ultrasound exam, or sonogram, is a safe and generally non-invasive procedure that utilizes high-frequency sound waves to image an internal body structure.

Common uses

• Abdomen: Ultrasound can be used to detect gallstones, check the health of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen, and monitor the success of a kidney transplant.
• Blood vessel: Ultrasound exams can reveal enlargements in vessels, blood clots or narrowing of arteries leading to the brain, which could result in stroke.
• Pelvis: Ultrasound is used image the uterus, ovaries and other structures within the pelvis. It may assist in determining the source of pain or bleeding in the female pelvis.
• Cancer: Ultrasound can locate lumps in organs and tissues, and can often distinguish the difference between fluid-filled cysts and cancerous tumors. It is frequently used to guide a needle biopsy (removal of tissue using a needle instead of surgery), and can be used to help detect prostate cancer and monitor treatment.
• Ultrasound during pregnancy: Ultrasound is regarded as the Gold Standard diagnostic exam for monitoring pregnancy.

What is a CT Scan?

A CT (computed tomography) scan is a noninvasive medical test that uses special x-ray equipment to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body and a computer to join them together in cross-sectional views of the area being studied.
 
CT scans of internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity than conventional x-ray exams. 

During the scan, a thin beam of x-ray is focused on a specific part of your body. The x-ray tube moves very rapidly around this area, enabling multiple images to be made from different angles to create a cross-sectional picture. A computer analyzes the information and constructs an image for our radiologists to interpret.
Common uses

CT scanning is commonly used to diagnose problems such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.   Your radiologist will decide if a contrast agent (contrast agents highlight your organs and blood vessels and help our radiologists see them better. In the past, most contrast agents contained higher levels of iodine. The new contrast agents available today have lower iodine content, which greatly reduces the chance of an allergic reaction and most of the discomforts associated with the injection).  For some CT’s the contrast agent can enhance the CT scan results.

CT imaging is one of the best and fastest tools for studying areas of the body and head as it provides detailed, cross-sectional views of all types of tissue.  It is often the preferred method for diagnosing many different cancers, including lung, liver and pancreatic cancer, since the image allows a physician to confirm the presence of a tumor and measure its size, precise location and the extent of the tumor's involvement with other nearby tissue.  It is also used to stage, plan and properly administer radiation treatments for tumors as well as monitor response to chemotherapy.

CT imaging is an examination that plays a significant role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases that can lead to stroke, kidney failure or even death. CT is commonly used to assess for pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung vessels) as well as for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).

CT can often be invaluable in diagnosing and treating spinal problems and injuries to the hands, feet and other skeletal structures because it can clearly show even very small bones as well as surrounding tissues such as muscle and blood vessels. Physicians often use the CT examination to quickly identify injuries to the lungs, heart and vessels, liver, spleen, kidneys, bowel or other internal organs in cases of trauma.

Our radiologists use CT to guide biopsies and other procedures such as abscess drainages and minimally invasive tumor treatments.  We work with surgeons and review CT’s to plan for and assess the results of surgery, such as organ transplants or gastric bypass.


What is Mammography?

A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases. A mammogram is an x-ray exam of the breast. It is used to detect and evaluate breast abnormalities, both in women who have no breast complaints or symptoms, and in women who have breast symptoms (problems such as a lump, pain, or nipple discharge). An analog mammogram uses x-ray films to capture the image. A digital mammogram is a newer method that uses x-ray detectors and a computer to create the image. From the patient's point of view, having a digital mammogram is essentially the same as having a conventional film screen mammogram.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) systems use a digitized mammographic image that can be obtained from either a conventional film mammogram or a digitally acquired mammogram. The computer software then searches for abnormal areas of density, mass, or calcification that may indicate the presence of cancer. The CAD system highlights these areas on the images, alerting the radiologist to the need for further analysis.
Common Uses

Screening Mammogram

Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. Current guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend screening mammography every year for women, beginning at age 40. Research has shown that annual mammograms lead to early detection of breast cancers, when they are most curable and breast-conservation therapies are available.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) adds that women who have had breast cancer and those who are at increased risk due to a genetic history of breast cancer should seek expert medical advice about whether they should begin screening before age 40 and about the frequency of screening.

Diagnostic Mammogram

Diagnostic mammography is used to evaluate a patient with abnormal clinical findings - such as a breast lump or lumps - that have been found by the woman or her doctor. Diagnostic mammography may also be done after an abnormal screening mammogram in order to determine the cause of the area of concern on the screening exam.


What is a PET/CT Scan?

A PET (positron emission tomography) scan creates an image of your body's metabolic activity and shows the rate at which your body's cells break down and use sugar (glucose), use oxygen and looks at blood flow.  It helps to evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning.
 
This is done by injecting a small amount of radioactive material (FDG) into your blood stream and waiting for it to disperse to the area of focus. Depending on the type of nuclear medicine exam you are undergoing, the radiotracer is either injected into a vein, swallowed or inhaled as a gas and eventually accumulates in the organ or area of your body being examined, where it gives off energy in the form of gamma rays. This energy is detected by a device called a gamma camera, a (positron emission tomography) PET scanner and/or probe. These devices work together with a computer to measure the amount of radiotracer absorbed by your body and to produce special pictures offering details on both the structure and function of organs and tissues.

A CT (computed tomography) scan is a noninvasive medical test that uses special x-ray equipment to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body and a computer to join them together in cross-sectional views of the area being studied.
 
CT scans of internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity than conventional x-ray exams.

A PET-CT is a relatively new diagnostic imaging exam that combines the functional information from a PET scan with the anatomical information from a CT scan. When a CT scan is superimposed over a PET scan, doctors can pinpoint the exact location of abnormal activity. They can also see the level and extent of that activity. Even when an abnormal growth is not yet visible on a CT scan, the PET scan may show the abnormal activity.
What Are Some Common Uses?

PET CT’s are used in the treatment of cancer, to detect cancer, to determine whether a cancer has spread in the body, to assess the effectiveness of a treatment plan, such as cancer therapy, and to determine if a cancer has returned after treatment.

They are also used to evaluate blood flow to the heart muscle, and to determine the effects of a heart attack on areas of the heart.  This can help doctors identify areas of the heart muscle that might benefit from a procedure such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery (in combination with a myocardial perfusion scan).

PET CT is also used to evaluate brain abnormalities, such as tumors, memory disorders and seizures and other central nervous system disorders, as well as to map normal human brain and heart function.