What is diagnostic imaging?
In addition to the headto-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 can help diagnose and monitor any conditions that warrant medical treatment. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and serves as a reminder for women to schedule their annual screening mammogram.
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.
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital provides a variety of radiology services. Personnel on the imaging staff are highly qualified, state certified and 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 highfrequency 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.
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.
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital offers densitometry screenings in our community, with a provider’s order. Featuring high-quality images, the new DXA system allows our imaging team to determine bone mineral density, pinpoint fractures, identify aortic calcifications and measure body consumption with speed and precision.
For comfort, fast exam times and low X-ray dose examinations, our new platform allows our imaging team to assess multiple chronic illnesses in a single visit. For more information about how you can get an assessment for osteoporosis, fracture risk, body composition or cardiovascular risk, speak to your provider today.
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 lifethreatening 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 fasting beforehand and drinking 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.
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 also used as a noninvasive diagnostic tool to detect heart disease.
MRI is safe and painless. Similar to the CT scan, when undergoing an MRI, patients lie on a table that slides into the donutshaped MRI scanner.
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 Siloam Springs Regional Hospital’s technology and experienced team. To learn more about imaging services available, visit NorthwestHealth.com and click on Diagnostic Imaging under the Services section.
About Siloam Springs Regional Hospital
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is a 73 licensed bed facility with 42 private patient rooms. It is accredited by the State of Arkansas Department of Health Services and The Joint Commission. Some services include inpatient and outpatient surgery, emergency medicine, medical, surgical and intensive care units, obstetrics, outpatient diagnostic services and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. With more than 50 physicians on the medical staff. Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is located at 603 N. Progress Ave. in Siloam Springs. For more information, visit NorthwestHealth. com.