Radio-Diagnosis

Radiologists graduate from accredited medical schools, pass a licensing examination, and then complete a one-year medical or surgical internship followed by a residency of at least four years. At Radiology & Imaging, many of our radiologists also have completed another two years of study, known as a fellowship, after their residency.

Radiologists play an important role in your health care. They are expert consultants to referring physicians. We call the doctor who sent you for an exam a referring physician or your personal physician. Radiologists work with your personal physician to choose the exam that fits your needs. A technologist conducts your exam and then a radiologist interprets your medical images and will recommend further scans or treatments, if necessary. Radiologists also treat diseases. They use radiation (radiation oncology) or minimally invasive, image-guided surgery. Other physicians rely on radiologists to correlate medical image findings with other examinations and tests.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has a comprehensive program of facility accreditation for radiation oncology, MRI, CT, nuclear medicine, PET, ultrasound, mammography, breast ultrasound, and stereotactic breast biopsy. Our equipment, people, and image quality must meet specific ACR qualifications.

Absolutely! Your radiologist is available to you and your referring physician. He or she will help your doctor choose the proper exam and interpret the results. Using those exam results, your radiologist will help recommend the next steps. Your health is our concern.

A radiologic technologist is a specially trained medical professional that performs your diagnostic imaging examination. They do not interpret the images—that is the job of the radiologist. Each of our technologists has successfully passed a national certification examination and they also must continue their education by earning credits every year to perform imaging studies.

Coverage for imaging tests is variable and depends on your insurance carrier, your plan, any exclusions, and sometimes the indications for the examination. If you have questions regarding your coverage, please call the phone number on the back of your insurance card.

It is extremely important that you bring any previous pertinent studies. The radiologist needs to see how your current exam compares with previous exams. This can often eliminate the need for further studies and also helps to identify any subtle changes that have occurred since your last examination.

It’s necessary for you to arrive early in order to complete or review your paperwork and prepare for your examination. Our technologists need to keep a strict schedule in order to accommodate the many patients we see every day. For some procedures, patients need to arrive earlier. Please check the exam preparation & Instruction section or look on the backside of your physician’s order for specific instructions for your exam.

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. You may have to put on a gown. Metal objects like jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures, and hairpins may affect the images. When you can, leave those items at home. You may also remove them just before your exam.

X-ray imaging is perhaps the most commonly known form of diagnostic testing. Similar to visible light, x-rays use electromagnetic radiation, which contain wave-like forms of energy.

Computerized and digital x-ray equipment is utilized to produce a more detailed study of the body. X-rays are most commonly used for taking images of bones to examine injury or diagnose tumors, and are often used for visualization of the urinary and gastrointestinal systems.

A licensed technologist will perform the exam. A brief history will be obtained and you may be asked to put on a hospital gown and remove metal objects. How you are positioned depends on the type of x-ray being done. Several different x-ray views may be needed. You need to stay still when you are having an x-ray. Motion can cause blurry images. You may be asked to hold your breath or not move for a second or two when the image is being taken.

X-rays are painless. However, some body positions needed during an x-ray may cause temporary discomfort.

X-rays are monitored and regulated so you get the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. For most conventional x-rays, the risk of cancer or defects is very low. Most experts feel that the benefits of appropriate x-ray imaging greatly outweigh any risks. Young children and babies in the womb are more sensitive to the risks of x-rays. Tell your health care provider if you think you might be pregnant.

The radiologist will study your films and report the findings to the referring physician within 24 hours. The referring physician will discuss the x-ray results with you.