The Radiology Center at Orange City Area Health System is a comprehensive multi-modality imaging center offering advanced technology and skilled staff.
You do have a choice regarding where you receive your imaging studies. We want to make it easy to make that choice for you or a family member – with state-of-the-art, quality medical imaging services provided in an efficient and caring manner. Our imaging services include:
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Using magnetic fields and radio waves, an MRI system produces high-resolution, high-quality, detailed images of the human body, aiding in the visualization and detection of pathological changes within organs, blood vessels, bones and various other types of soft-tissue structures.
• Computed Tomography (CT) – Sometimes called CAT scan, CT uses special x-ray equipment to obtain images from different angles around the body, and then uses computer processing to demonstrate a cross-section of body tissues and organs. CT imaging is particularly useful for visualizing several types of tissue — bone, soft tissue, and blood vessels — with great clarity.
• Mammography – Mammography is a type of diagnostic imaging that uses low-dose x-rays (radiographs) to examine breasts. Mammograms are used as a screening tool to detect early breast cancer in women experiencing no symptoms and to detect breast disease in women experiencing symptoms such as a lump, pain or nipple discharge.
• Ultrasound – Also called ultrasound scanning or sonography – ultrasound obtains images of internal organs by sending high-frequency sound waves into the body. The sound wave echoes are recorded and displayed as a real-time visual image. These images often provide information that’s valuable in diagnosing and treating a variety of diseases and conditions.
• Bone Densitometry – Also called Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry (DEXA), this is an advanced form of x-ray technology used to measure bone loss. It is the standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD).
• PET/CT – Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computerized Tomography (CT) are both standard imaging tools that allow physicians to pinpoint the location of disease within the body before making treatment recommendations. The highly sensitive PET scan detects the metabolic signal of actively growing cancer cells in the body and the CT scan provides a detailed picture of the internal anatomy that reveals the location, size and shape of abnormal cancerous growths. Alone, each imaging test has particular benefits and limitations but when the results of PET and CT scans are “fused” together, the combined image provides complete information on cancer location and metabolism.
• Nuclear Medicine Imaging — Nuclear medicine is a subspecialty within the field of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose disease and other abnormalities within the body. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures are noninvasive and usually painless medical tests that help physicians diagnose medical conditions. A special imaging devices works together with a computer to measure the amount of radiotracer absorbed by your body and to produce special pictures offering details on both the structure and function of organs and other internal body parts.
Nuclear medicine imaging scans are performed to:
- analyze kidney function
- visualize heart blood flow and function
- scan lungs for respiratory and blood flow problems
- identify blockage in the gallbladder
- evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis and tumors
- determine the presence or spread of cancer
- identify bleeding into the bowel
- locate the presence of infection
- measure thyroid function to detect an overactive or underactive thyroid
- investigate abnormalities in the brain
• Stereotactic Breast Biopsy — This revolutionary procedure involves the use of digital mammography technology in order to isolate and identify breast abnormalities. Using mammographic guidance, a tiny sample of abnormal breast tissue is retrieved (biopsied) for analysis. This advanced procedure is much less invasive than the surgical approach, called open surgical biopsy, which removes an entire breast lump for microscopic analysis. A stereotactic breast biopsy is most helpful when mammography shows a mass, a cluster of microcalcifications (tiny calcium deposits that are closely grouped together), or an area of abnormal tissue change, but no lump can be felt on careful breast examination.