Radiology

Mammograms are a woman’s best defense in detecting breast cancer early. Mammography is the process of using low-energy X-rays to examine the breast. It is used as a diagnostic and screening tool. Digital mammography captures images using a detector, which converts the image into a digital picture. After the exam the radiologist can alter the magnification, brightness or contrast to see areas more clearly. Digital imaging provides superior image quality so that subtle differences between normal and abnormal tissues are more easily identified. 

3D mammograms are proven to be more accurate for women of all ages and breast densities compared to conventional 2D mammograms.

A prescription is required from your physician.

Preparing for your Mammogram

Do not use any powders, deodorants or perfumes on breast or underarm areas. If you have had a mammogram at another facility, please try to obtain the images and the report and bring it with you at the time of your appointment.

Over 54 million people suffer from osteoporosis. The disease is responsible for over 2 million broken bones each year. MCH and CMH are certified for the DEXA Scan, an outpatient diagnostic test used to determine bone density. A bone mineral density test is the only way to determine the extent of a patient’s bone loss.

Recommended for the following individuals:

• Women over the age of 65
• Post-menopausal women not taking estrogen
• Anyone with a personal or maternal history of hip fractures or smoking
• Those who use medications associated with bone loss
• Anyone who has experienced a fracture after only mild trauma
• Individuals who have X-ray evidence of vertebral fractures or other signs of osteoporosis

DEXA Scans must be ordered by a physician or healthcare provider and scheduled through the hospital’s Radiology Department. There is no preparation required for a DEXA Scan.

A CT scan is a type of X-ray used to depict anatomy at different levels within the body. The CT scanner rotates the X-ray source around the patient, capturing the image. Each rotation of the X-ray beam produces a single-cross sectional anatomy, like the slices in a loaf of bread. A computer is then able to create an image by stacking these slices together. As a result, radiologists are able to view inside anatomy not possible with regular X-rays.

Low Dose CT

The cutting-edge, low-dose CT offers the assurance of the highest quality images from the lowest possible levels of radiation. A prescription is required from your physician.

Preparing for your CT Scan

There are two types of contrast: Oral (given as a liquid you would drink) and Intravenous (injected through a vein). Your scan may require one or the other or both.

Fasting: If your scan has been ordered with contrast, oral or intravenous, then you may need to fast (no liquids or food by mouth) several hours prior to your appointment time. You will be given specific fasting instructions when your exam is scheduled. You need not to fast if your CT scan will be without contrast.

Medications: If you are a diabetic, you may need to stop taking certain medications prior to the exam as directed by your doctor.

PET/CT Scan

PET/CT is an advanced diagnostic imaging procedure used to identify cancer. It can also detect certain diseases of the heart and brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease and seizures. In addition, the scan is often capable of detecting disease processes before a physical change can be seen by CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone, all in one exam. No side effects have been attributed to the exam.

Providers order various diagnostic X-rays such as chest X-rays for diagnosing bronchitis or pneumonia, or bone X-rays for the purpose of ruling out fractures, etc. A photographic or digital image of a body part produced by X-rays passing through it. A prescription is required from your physician. There is no preparation required for routine X-ray procedures.

Fluoroscopy is an X-ray procedure that makes it possible to view internal organs in motion. It uses X-rays to produce real-time video images. After the X-rays pass through the patient, instead of using film, they are captured by a device called an image intensifier and converted into light. The light is then captured by a TV camera and displayed on a video monitor.

Preparing for Fluoroscopy Procedures

Esophogram/Barium Swallow: Light or clear liquid breakfast morning of the procedure.

Upper GI Series: Nothing to eat or drink after midnight prior to your appointment.

Small Bowel Series: Nothing to eat or drink after midnight prior to your appointment.

Barium Enema: Your physician will give you a prescription for a prep kit for the procedure. Follow directions given by your physician.

With the purchase of a specific type of video fluoroscopic chair, patients at CMH who are experiencing difficulty in swallowing can now be adequately positioned for a barium swallow study. Patients who may be referred for this procedure are those suspected of having a variety of medical conditions that may cause dysphagia, or difficulty in swallowing. Some of these medical conditions may be stroke, head injury, neurological disease, head or neck cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

An MRI is a non-invasive procedure that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to create pictures of anatomy inside the body. In most cases, an MRI does not require injecting any chemical tracers into the body. An MRI often gives different information about structures in the body than can be seen with an X-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan. It may also show problems that cannot be seen with other imaging methods. A prescription from your physician is required. The exam often takes less than one hour.

Preparing for your MRI

The MRI staff will ask if you have had any of the following:

• Brain, ear, eye or other surgeries
• Pacemaker
• Neurostimulators (TENS-unit)
• Metal implants
• Aneurysm clips
• Surgical staples
• Implanted drug infusion pump (insulin pump)
• Exposure of metal fragments to your eye
• Shrapnel
• Heart valves

Nuclear Medicine is the study of the organs of the body using radioactive isotopes. It is safe, painless and cost-effective. It offers a way to gather medical information that would otherwise be unavailable, require surgery or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests. Substances called radiopharmaceuticals are injected, swallowed, or inhaled by the patient. Emissions created by the radiopharmaceuticals in the bone, organ or tissue being examined are detected by a camera. This information is recorded on a computer.

Nuclear medicine documents the function as well as the structure of organs, bones, and tissues. An X-ray can tell a physician what something looks like, but nuclear medicine can also tell if it’s functioning properly. The amount of radiation in a typical nuclear medicine procedure is comparable with that received during a diagnostic X-ray. A prescription is required from your physician.

Nuclear medicine procedures are used in many medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to orthopedics. New and innovative nuclear medicine procedures that target and pinpoint molecular levels within the body are revolutionizing treatments for a range of diseases and conditions.

Preparing for your Scan

HIDA or Heptobiliary Scan: You may have nothing to eat or drink after midnight prior to your appointment.

Gastric Emptying: You may have nothing to eat or drink after midnight prior to your appointment.

Nuclear Cardiac Stress Test: You may have no caffeine 24 hours prior to testing; no heart medications 24 hours prior to testing; nothing to eat or drink except water after midnight.

Ultrasound machines create images that allow various organs in the body to be examined. The machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which reflect off of body structures. A computer receives these reflected waves and uses them to create an image. A prescription is required from your physician.

Preparing for your Ultrasound

Gallbladder or Abdominal: You may have nothing to eat or drink after midnight prior to your appointment.

Pelvis: Drink 32 ounces of water to fill your bladder. This should be completed one hour before the procedure. Do not empty your bladder until the procedure is complete.

Obstetric – Up to 25 weeks pregnant: Drink 32 ounces of water one hour before your appointment time. Do not empty your bladder until your exam is complete. For women who are 26 weeks pregnant or further along, no special preparation is required.