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X-Ray and Fluoroscopy
Q. Are conventional
x-rays safe?
A. X-rays, CT scans, fluoroscopy, and
tomography imaging uses very low dosages of radiation.
Your physician makes a judgment that any theoretical risk
is outweighed by the potential benefit any time he or
she orders an x-ray exam.
Q. Do I
have to do anything special prior to my exam?
A. Generally, no preparation is required.
However, if your exam requires a contrast material, some
preparation may be necessary. Instructions will be given
at the time of scheduling.
Q. How long will the exam
take?
A. Your exam will take from 20 minutes
to an hour depending on the type of procedure.
Q. How long
will it take for me to get my results?
A. Our technologists and radiologists
are available to answer any questions you may have before
or after your procedure. Information and answers to the
most frequently asked questions about your procedure can
be found by further exploring this site.
Our radiologists will review
your results on the day of your exam. If there are any
significant findings your physician will be notified immediately.
Ultrasound
Q. Why
do I need to have a full bladder for a pelvic exam?
A. Some tissues block the passage of
sound waves. A full bladder acts as a "window"
for ultrasound by facilitating passage of sound waves
through it, making the uterus and ovaries behind the bladder
easier to see.
Q. Why can't
I eat or drink anything prior to having an abdominal exam?
A. When you eat, drink, or even chew
gum the gallbladder is stimulated to empty itself making
gallstones impossible to see.
Q. How is
ultrasound different than x-ray?
A. Ultrasound uses sound waves to acquire
images, no ionizing radiation is used.
Q. Is there any risk if I
am pregnant or breast feeding?
A. To date, no proven ill effects have
been seen doing regular ultrasound exams on pregnant women.
There is no risk to breast feeding mothers.
Computed Tomography
(CT)
Q. Is there
any risk associated with a CT exam?
A. CT exams use radiation to acquire
diagnostic images. Please notify your physician and our
technologist if there is any chance that you may be pregnant.
If you are diabetic or have a known allergy to iodine,
please notify your physician and our technologist before
your exam.
Q. Can I have this exam if
I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
A. CT scans use x-rays and should be
avoided during pregnancy, especially the first trimester.
Q. What is the difference
between MRI and CT exams?
A. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) does
not use x-ray radiation. Instead, MRI creates high quality
images of internal anatomy through the combination of
a strong magnetic field and radio waves. CT (Computed
Tomography) images of internal anatomy are acquired through
the use of x-rays. The x-ray data is utilized by sophisticated
computers to construct detailed images of internal anatomy.
Q. How long
will the exam take?
A. Depending on the procedure, a CT scan
requires that you relax and lie still for 5-20 minutes.
Q. How long will it take
for me to get my results?
A. All exams are read by our radiologist
that same day. Reports are dictated and faxed/mailed to
your physician's office the next business day. Preliminary
results can be faxed to your physician's office upon request.
Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI)
Q. What is the difference
between traditional MRI and Open MRI scanners?
A. Short bore offers the highest quality images
available, with greater openness. Short bore scanners
have a greater vertical opening than so called "open"
scanners. Many exams are done with the patient's head
outside of the scanner. Patients up to 450 pounds can
be scanned with excellent results. Exams done in the short
bore scanner take half the time and produce higher quality
images than those done in an "open" scanner.
Q. Is there any risk associated
with a MRI exam?
A. MRI exams are very safe. There are no reported
health risks or side effects associated with the magnetic
field or the radio waves used by the scanner. Due to the
strong magnetic field, patients with pacemakers, aneurysm
clips, nerve stimulators, or any metallic medical device
should consult with their physician before having this
exam.
Q. Can I have an MRI if I am pregnant
or breastfeeding?
A. MRI scans have no known side effects, although
it is not recommended for pregnant women unless medically
indicated. Breastfeeding is not a contraindication. If
contrast is given, it is recommended that you suspend
nursing and discard milk for 24 hours after the exam.
Q.
Why is the scanner so noisy during the exam?
A. The MRI
scanner works with strong magnetic fields. Radio waves
of a specific frequency used during this exam allow signals
to be generated from the body's tissues. These radio waves
are the knocking sounds you hear coming from the scanner.
Q. How long will the exam
take?
A. Depending on the type of procedure you're
having done, it should take between 35-50 minutes.
Q. How long will it take
for me to get my results?
A. All exams are read by our radiologists that
same day. Reports are dictated and faxed/mailed to your
physician's office the next business day. Preliminary
results can be faxed to your physician's office upon request
Interventional Radiology
Q. What is interventional
radiology?
A. Interventional radiologists (IRs)
use their expertise in reading X-rays, ultrasound and
other medical images to guide small instruments such as
catheters (tubes that measure just a few millimeters in
diameter) through the blood vessels or other pathways
to treat disease percutaneously (through the skin). These
procedures are typically much less invasive and much less
costly than traditional surgery.
Q. Who are interventional
radiologists?
A. Interventional radiologists are medical
doctors who have specialized in doing medical procedures
that involve radiology. Radiologists use imaging equipment
such as X-rays, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, ultrasound
and computed tomography (CT) to diagnose disease. IRs
are board certified radiologists that are fellowship trained
in percutaneous interventions using guided imaging. Their
specialized training is certified by the America Board
of Medical Specialties.
Q. How did interventional
radiology develop?
A. The improved ability of radiologists
to see inside the body gave rise to interventional radiology
-- minimally invasive targeted treatments performed using
imaging for guidance -- in the mid-1970's. Interventional
radiologists invented angioplasty and the first catheter-delivered
stent, what was first used in the legs, to save patients
with vascular disease from amputation or other surgery.
These advances pioneered modern medicine and gave rise
to the state-of-the-art treatments that are common place
today. Interventional radiology is a medical specialty
recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties
and the American Medical Association.
Today there are more than 5,000 interventional radiologists
in the United States. The Society of Interventional Radiology
(SIR), the professional association of interventional
radiologists based in Fairfax, VA, has seen its membership
steadily increase to more than 4,000 worldwide in 2004.
Q.
What are the advantages of interventional radiology?
A. Most procedures can be performed on
an outpatient basis or require only a short hospital stay.
General anesthesia usually is not required. Risk, pain
and recovery time are often significantly reduced. The
procedures are sometimes less expensive than surgery or
other alternatives.
Q. Where
is interventional radiology headed in the future?
A. As technology advances and high-quality
imaging equipment becomes more widely available, interventional
radiology is able to offer patients and referral physicians
a host of new treatment options.
Mammography
Q. What can I do to help detect breast
cancer when it is still at a curable stage?
A. Perform monthly breast self-examination beginning
at age 20. Inform your physician of any suspicious changes
or lumps. Have a clinical breast examination performed
by a trained health care provider every three years beginning
at age 20, then annually beginning at age 40. Begin annual
screening mammography at age 40. If you may be at increased
risk (e.g., positive family history, high-risk genetic
tendency or have a history of past breast cancer ) you
should talk with your physicians about the benefits of
starting mammography screening earlier or having additional
special tests such as Breast Ultrasound, Breast Specific
Gamma Imaging (BSGI), or MRI.
Q. What is the cause of breast
cancer?
A. The exact cause of breast cancer remains unknown.
Hormonal effects, age and genetics are known to play an
important role in the risk for developing breast cancer.
Diet and environmental factors appear to have a somewhat
more controversial role.
Q. What is DCIS or ductal
carcinoma in situ?
A. DCIS is the early stage of breast cancer,
while it is still contained within the ducts and before
the cancer has begun to invade the surrounding tissue.
Most DCIS is curable when promptly treated.
Q. What is invasive breast cancer?
A. When cancer cells break out of the ducts in
which they develop, they are free to spread through or
“invade” breast tissue. The cancer has progressed
from non-invasive or DCIS to invasive breast cancer.
Q. What is the difference
between “ductal”carcinoma and “lobular”
carcinoma?
A. Cancers that arise from the cells lining the
duct are called ductal carcinomas, while carcinomas which
arise from cells that line the acini are called lobular
carcinomas.
Q. What is metastasis?
A. The term metastasis means spread, usually
through the lymph vessels or veins, to a part of the body
that is some distance from the original tumor. High quality
mammography is the only reliable method for detecting
early breast cancer while it is still contained within
the ducts or has not yet entered the lymph vessels or
veins.
Q. What is the role of genetics
in breast cancer development?
A. There are two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that
have the ability to suppress the development and growth
of tumors. These are called tumor suppressor genes. These
genes may undergo a change (mutate) that causes them to
lose their ability to suppress tumors, thus removing the
protection provided by the normal genes. Women with mutated
BRCA1 and BRCA2 have a very high risk for developing breast
cancer.
Women who have a history of colon or ovarian cancer and
who have multiple relatives with breast cancer and cancers
of the colon or ovaries should consult their physicians
to see if genetic testing for one of the BRCA genes is
appropriate.
Q. Do men develop breast
cancer?
A. Yes, approximately 1% of breast cancer occurs
in men.
Q. What are my risks for
developing breast cancer?
A. 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at
some time during their lives. Women who have had a previous
breast cancer are at the highest risk for developing another
breast cancer. Women with family history of breast cancer
in a first-line relative (mother, sister, brother or father),
developing under the age of 50, have 2 to 4 times the
risk of women with no positive family history. The good
news is that even with most of the risk factors that increase
your chance for developing breast cancer, the odds favor
you never having a breast cancer.
Nuclear Medicine
/ PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
Q. What
is Nuclear Medicine?
A. Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of
radioactive materials (radiopharmaceuticals) to diagnose
and treat disease. In imaging, the radiopharmaceuticals
are detected by special types of cameras that work with
computers to provide very precise pictures about the area
of the body being imaged.
Q. What is Nuclear Medicine
used for?
A. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often
identify abnormalities very early in the progression of
a disease long before many medical problems are apparent
with other diagnostic tests.
Q. What is PET?
A. PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography.
It is a procedure that produces powerful images of the
human body's biological functions. PET scans are safe
and can be performed in a few hours as an outpatient procedure.
Unlike conventional imaging systems such as x-rays, CTs,
ultrasounds and MRIs, PET does not show body structure
(anatomy). Instead, PET shows the chemical function (metabolism)
of an organ or tissue.
Q. What is PET used for?
A. PET is used to help diagnose and treat a number
of different diseases, including cancer, coronary heart
disease and seizure disorders. In cancer applications,
PET provides tumor imaging and has proven to be very accurate
in identifying the extent of malignant disease.
Q.
What happens when I arrive for my scan?
A.
When you arrive for your Nuclear Medicine or PET
scan, you will be registered by our office personnel and
taken to the Nuclear Medicine or PET area. There, a technologist
will ask you a series of questions regarding your medical
history.
For a PET scan, a small blood sample will be taken to
check your blood sugar (glucose) level. The technologist
will inject a small amount of radioactive glucose into
your bloodstream. This glucose is called a "tracer"
and will be distributed throughout your body.
For both a Nuclear Medicine Scan and a PET scan there
is no danger to you from the injection of a radioactive
substance for the study. Radioactive isotopes given must
pass multiple quality control measures before it is used
for any patient injection. In fact, the radiation exposure
associated with Nuclear Medicine Scan or a PET is similar
to that of a conventional CT scan.
Q. How does the PET procedure
work?
A. After your injection, you will be asked to
relax and remain relatively still for about an hour. Then,
you will be asked to lie on a table called a scanning
bed. The bed will move slowly through the scanner while
it detects the injected tracer. Some people fall asleep
during the scan. When the imaging procedure is complete,
the scanner sends the resulting information to a computer.
The computer generates numerous images that will be reviewed
by a specially trained physician. Your doctor will receive
a report and picture detailing the findings of your exam.
Q. How long does the Nuclear
Medicine procedure take?
A. You can expect to spend two or more hours
for your study. Some studies take several hours to complete
and some may require you return the next day or two following
the injection of radioactive isotope.
Q. How long does the PET
procedure take?
A. You can expect to be in the PET center for
two to three hours. The actual scan itself takes far less
time and depends on the purpose and type of the study.
In most cases, a body scan from the chin to the pelvis
area takes about 50 to 60 minutes. Some exams, such as
brain or heart procedures, take about 30 minutes.
Q. How accurate is PET?
A. PET is very accurate in showing the presence
or spread of many malignant tumors. For example, it is
more accurate in detecting the spread of lung cancer and
colon cancer than any other imaging method currently available.
A high dose of accuracy has also been demonstrated in
evaluating recurrent breast cancer, melanoma, lymphoma,
ovarian cancer, brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, and tumors
of the head and neck.
Q. How will I feel afterwards?
A. You should feel fine after the scan. There
are no side effects from the injected tracer. If you have
a heart scan, you may feel flushed afterwards.
Q. What should I do to prepare?
A. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, might
be pregnant or are a nursing mother. Tell your doctor
if you are a diabetic. Wear comfortable clothing. Take
prescribed medications on the day of your test unless
instructed not to do so. |
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