Radiology & Medical Imaging Services | Valleywise Health (2024)

Interventional Radiology uses medical imaging to get a closer look inside the body in order to diagnose conditions. This often includes:

• Abdominal, peripheral and pulmonary angiography: Examinations of the blood or lymph vessels
• Treatment of critical limb ischemia: An obstruction of the arteries that reduces blood flow to the hands, feet and legs
• Angioplasty, stenting: Treatments that restore blood flow to the arteries
• Evaluation and treatment of peripheral arterial or peripheral venous disease: Both of these conditions stop blood flow from properly flowing, resulting in poor circulation or blood pooling
• Fibroid treatment with uterine artery embolization: A non-surgical procedure used to treat fibroids (non-cancerous growths) in the uterus
• Microwave ablation of tumors: A method of treating cancerous tumors
• Migraine Relief (Spheno Cath)
• Minimally-invasive biliary (liver, gall bladder and small intenstine) and uterine interventions
• Percutaneous gastrostomy access: A procedure that creates an opening in the stomach for food to be consumed
• Temporary and long-term venous access and dialysis fistula (the creation of wider, stronger blood vessels) and shunt care (used to move bodily fluids from one place to another)
• Tendon/fasciitis pain relief (Tenex)
• Treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis (blood clots that form in veins)
• Vertobroplasty/Kyphoplasty: Treatments for spinal pain
• Thoracentesis/Paracentesis: Procedures used to drain fluid from around the lungs
• Chemoembolization (TACE): A method of cancer treatment used to restrict a tumor’s blood supply
• Selective internal radiation therapy/radiotherapy: A method of cancer treatment

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a way of measuring bone mineral density (BMD), which is the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue. BMD is an important measurement for detecting diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopenia.

This is a non-invasive exam that diagnoses osteoporosis, a condition that reduces the strength of bones. This mostly affects women after menopause, but can also be found in men.

Please do not confuse this procedure with a Nuclear Medicine Bone Scan, which is a different imaging test.

Precise & Accurate Geometrical Measurement and Advanced Hip Assessment (AHA), including Color Bone Mapping and Cortical Thickness Measurement

Advanced hip assessment helps evaluate the hip and can predict fracture risk in the femur. It can help provide accurate and precise bone mineral density and bone mineral content for future orthopedic and surgical treatment. It also monitors growth and development in children by measuring lean mass, fat and bone.

FRAX is a tool that evaluates fracture risk in patients. It provides an estimate of 10-year probability of a major fracture (clinical spine, wrist, proximal humerus and hip) or hip alone. This is based on femoral neck BMD and clinical risk fractures. FRAX is licensed by the WHO (World Health Organization).

A computed tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of structures inside of the body. During the test, you will lie on a table that is attached to the CT scanner, which is a large donut-shaped machine. The CT scanner sends X-rays through the body area being studied.

Here are some benefits of CT Scans:

• Calming lighting helps create a relaxing environment
• Minimizes radiation dose without affecting image quality
• Quickly creates detailed images of the body’s internal organs and structures

An X-ray is a test that produces images of the structures inside your body – particularly your bones.

X-ray beams pass through your body and are absorbed in different amounts depending on the density of the material they pass through. Dense materials, such as bone and metal, show up as white on X-rays. The air in your lungs shows up as black. Fat and muscle appear as shades of gray.

For some types of X-ray tests, a safe contrast medium – such as iodine or barium – may be put in your body to provide greater detail on the images.

Fluoroscopy is a study of moving body structures – almost like an X-ray “movie.” A continuous X-ray beam is passed through the body part being examined. The image is then transmitted to a TV-like monitor so the body part and its motion can be seen in detail.

Mammography uses low-energy X-rays to screen the human breast for signs of breast cancer.

We specifically offer breast tomosynthesis, which is an advanced type of mammography that can offer more clarity and better cancer detection. Tomosynthesis is also designed to be more comfortable for the patient.

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues within your body. Most MRI machines are large and tube-shaped magnets.

3 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla MRI units available.

Please note certain devicesmay notbe compatible with MRI. Some of these include:

• Aneurysm Clips
• Stent placement
• Automatic Cardiac Defibrillator
• Hearing Aids
• Joint replacement
• Medication pump
• Prosthesis

To ensure your safety, the staff/technologist performs a screening prior to exam.

Nuclear Medicine is an imaging specialty that assesses bodily functions to diagnose and treat disease. Specially-designed cameras allow the radiologist to track the path of these radiopharmaceuticals. We also offer PET/CT, which uses special materials, a camera and a computer to help evaluate organ and tissue functions.

• Current therapies offered:
  • Thyroid therapy for thyroid cancer and/or hyperthyroidism
  • Down-staging of liver cancer
  • Treatment of painful metastatic bone disease
  • Treatment of refractory lymphoma
  • Treatment of castrate resistant prostrate cancer

Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography, uses sound pressure waves to produce images of human anatomy and physiology. Images are in real time, meaning doctors can see the images immediately.

Medical Sonography (ultrasonography) is a medical imaging technique used to visualize muscles, tendons, and many internal organs in order to capture their size, structure and any pathological lesions with real-time tomographic images.

Types of Ultrasound:

• • Abdomen (Liver, T.I.P.S, aorta)
  • Pelvic
  • Obstetric
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Liver Elastography: Investigation of liver disease
  • Cardiac Ultrasound (echocardiology)
  • Vascular

Ultrasound-guided biopsies

• • Breast
  • Liver
  • Lymph Node
  • Paracentesis/Thoracentesis: Procedures used to remove fluids that have collected in the belly
  • Prostate
  • Thyroid
  • Abscess Drains