Image is everything
Provided by Volunteer Community Hospital

When it comes to maintaining good health, image – or actually, imaging – is everything. In addition to the head-to-toe physical at your doctor’s office or an annual well-woman exam, diagnostic imaging tests assure that everything below the surface is in good working order – and help diagnose and monitor any conditions that warrant medical treatment.

Diagnostic imaging has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, as medical technology has advanced. In addition to X-rays, doctors now have the capability to examine muscles, organs, and even blood flow through various imaging tests. Taking a picture of what’s happening inside the body can help physicians correctly diagnose and treat health conditions. This provides a more complete picture of your overall health.

Imaging tests are used for both routine health monitoring, such as a mammogram, as well as to diagnose or monitor chronic conditions, or treat illness or injuries. Advanced diagnostic tests and procedures are the key in helping diagnose many medical conditions quickly and efficiently.

Volunteer Community Hospital provides a variety of radiology services. Personnel on the imaging staff are highly qualified, registered radiology technicians, and must undergo additional training in their specialty area.

X-ray
The X-ray, the most familiar imaging test, is used to view bones and help physicians examine conditions in the chest, spine, bone, digestive tract, uterus and urinary tract.

Ultrasound
An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to evaluate organs in the body, look for injuries or abnormalities and commonly, to track fetal development. Detailed images are returned in real time, which also makes ultrasound very helpful for guiding minimally invasive surgeries, such as needle biopsies – and for visualizing organ, blood vessel and tissue movement. Ultrasounds routinely help to evaluate an unborn baby for developmental abnormalities.

Mammogram
Mammography is a special x-ray of the breasts, which can detect lumps and other forms of breast disease that are too small to be felt. It is a valuable tool in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Digital mammography creates an image of the breast and stores it on a computer, where it can be archived and retrieved to share with physicians involved in your care.  Digital mammography will be available directly across the street from Volunteer Community Hospital at the Women’s Imaging Center beginning August 2.  The new Women’s Imaging Center will create a spa like atmosphere designed for privacy. 

Bone densitometry
Bone densitometry measures the density of the bone in your spine, hip and other areas – the most commonly fractured bones as women age – and compares it to an industry standard to produce a score. This score measures your bone health and determines your risk of developing osteoporosis. Bone density tests are simple, painless and quick.

Computed tomography (CT) scan
Using x-rays with computer technology, a CT scan, produces detailed images of the body’s internal organs – the head, neck, chest and abdomen – as well as the extremities. A key benefit of this technology is being able to more quickly and effectively detect a variety of life-threatening illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and lung disease.

CT uses radiation to create cross-sectional images, or “slices,” to help locate tumors, detect heart disease or investigate internal injuries or bleeding. During the scan, you may lie on a table that is slid into a donut-shaped machine, so that pictures may be taken. The procedure may require that you fast before hand and drink a contrast liquid – or have a contrast dye injected – at the start of the test. This helps the physician to see body images more clearly. The actual scan lasts just a minute or two, and the entire exam, including preparations, usually takes less than an hour.

Volunteer Community Hospital uses a 32 slice CT scanner which provides high-resolution, 3-D detail of the area being studied and quicker diagnosis. This multi-slice scanner produces split-second, detailed images that allow physicians to see more anatomical features in a fraction of the time needed for other tests. Another advantage is the CT scan’s ability to digitally eliminate tissue or bone that may obstruct the doctor’s view of a certain area.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
MRI allows a picture to be taken of soft tissue structures without using needles or contrast dye (a special dye may be used when making images of the brain). Instead, MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create cross-sectional images of your head, body, muscles and blood flow. It is used to diagnose disease in the brain, spine, chest, abdomen and pelvis, as well as injuries in the joints.

MRI is safe and painless. Similar to the CT scan, when undergoing an MRI, patients lie on a table that slides into the donut-shaped MRI scanner.   Volunteer Community Hospital currently uses a 1.5 Telsa Short Bore magnet scanner.

Digital fluoroscopy
Digital fluoroscopy allows physicians to diagnose conditions that involve the digestive tract, the heart, joint movement, or infertility problems. Digital fluoroscopy is a type of x-ray that allows a doctor to view inner structures of the body in real time. It provides very detailed images of function and structure of the intestines, bladder, heart muscle and stomach. Unlike regular x-rays, which record images to film, digital fluoroscopy records the images taken to a computer. Once digitized, the images can be reviewed in real time on a computer monitor.

Nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine allows for viewing images of organ functions. Nuclear medicine uses tiny amounts of radioactive materials to perform studies of the heart and lungs and to diagnose bone cancer, bone infections and stress fractures. The radioactive materials are placed into the patient’s body by injection, swallowing or inhalation and images of the organ system in question are captured by a special camera.

If you need a diagnostic imaging test or procedure – for a routine check-up or an injury – you can feel confident in Volunteer Community Hospital’s technology and experienced team. To learn more about imaging services available at Volunteer Community Hospital, Click Here.

Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.