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Diagnostic Imaging
Hours
Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Saturday, 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Technician on-call after hours
815-562-2181, ext. 1350
Radiologist present Monday - Friday
NOW ALL DIGITAL! All images at RCH are now digital (electronic). No more film is used except for comparison with archived images.
Radiologist: Electronic images taken by Diagnostic Imaging are interpreted by Board Certified Radiologists from Camelot Radiology Associates d.b.a Northern Illinois Radiologists.
Staff: The Diagnostic Imaging staff is comprised of highly qualified technologists and support staff. To become certified, technologists must complete at least two years of formal training in Radiologic Technology in an accredited hospital-based program or a junior college or university-based program. They must pass a national certification examination and take continuing education training annually in order to maintain their certification.
- General Radiography
- CT and CTA Scans
- Mammograms
- MRIs
- Nuclear Medicine
- Nuclear Cardiac Scan
- Ultrasound
- Bone Density or DEXA
Radiation (x-rays) is used to produce black-and-white images of anatomy. The images are captured on computer or videotape. X-rays may be used to detect bone fractures, find foreign objects in the body and demonstrate the relationship between bone and soft tissue. They are also used to detect ulcers in the stomach or blockages in the colon or when the doctor suspects kidney stones, just to name a few. The most common type exam is a chest x-ray.
Conventional x-rays can't show brain structures, but CT scans can. Head scans may detect or rule out: tumors, blood clots, enlarged ventricles and other disorders.
CT scans can distinguish bone, tissue, fat, gas, fluid, etc. They can determine if a growth is solid or fluid-filled, and if an organ's size and shape are normal. CT scans can be especially important in diagnosing: enlarged lymph nodes, pancreatic disease, back problems and lung cancer.
CTA scans are used in place of invasive, time-consuming procedures to visualize blood flow in the body. Types of CTA include a Heart Scan which views overall structure of the heart including arteries, valves and chambers as well as overall heart function. A Vascular CTA visualizes large arteries and veins such as the ones that feed the lungs and kidneys. Your doctor may use CTA to check the health of arteries to the liver, examine the condition of arteries to the lungs, identify unusual structures in major blood vessels or check the condition of arteries through the body.
All mammograms at RCH are now digital as of February 2009. To perform a mammogram, the breast is compressed to flatten the tissue so as to get a better picture. Rochelle Community Hospital offers the latest in digital mammography technology. Instead of leaving the room to develop the film, your technologist will review your digital image on a computer screen in the mammography room and she will determine if the image will need to be repeated for technique or positioning.
With the new mammograpm being a digital image it is a much more detailed image as you might expect. Also, being an electronic image, this gives the Radiologist the ability to manipulate the images by adjusting the brightness and contrast. The Radiologist has the capacility to zoom in on a specific area to determine if further views are required.
Mammography is the best way of finding breast cancer during its early, more treatable stages. Mammography uses low-dose radiation to create an image of breast tissue. It can detect breast lumps up to two years before they can be felt. Finding a lump early significantly improves a woman's chance of successful treatment. The American Cancer Society recommends that women have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35-40 and then begin annual mammograms at age 40. Medicare reimburses for a mammogram every one year plus one day.
You do not need a physician referral for a screening mammogram. It is very important for the radiologist to have your prior mammograms to compare. If you have had mammograms at another facility, please call and have your films sent to Rochelle Community Hospital prior to your appointment
Diagnostic mammograms are performed when a radiologist is present. This allows the radiologist to review the patient's digital images while the patient is here. If additional views or imaging are required, they will be performed immediately and the patient will know what the radiologist's recommendation is before leaving the hospital.
MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
A mobile MRI van comes to RCH on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
MRI is one of the latest advances in medical imaging today. Unlike standard x-ray exams, MRI uses a large magnet to obtain images; there is no radiation used. A wide variety of body parts can be scanned, such as the brain, spine, knee, abdomen, and many others. The scans show detailed anatomy, as well as flow and soft tissue detail, which is not possible with x-rays.
Using very small amounts of radioactive material, nuclear medicine can diagnose - and sometimes treat - disease. Nuclear medicine can help detect a wide variety of conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis and infection. And the sooner problems are found, the better the chances for successful treatment or cure.
A Nuclear Cardiac scan is a test that uses a radioactive substance, known as a tracer, to produce images of the heart muscle. When combined with a stress test, the Nuclear Cardiac scan helps determine if areas of the heart are not receiving enough blood.
The stress Nuclear Cardiac Scan is especially useful in diagnosing coronary heart disease, the presence of blockages in the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle).
Ultrasound is a medical procedure that uses sound waves to "see" inside the body. It is used to study the heart or to help check the health of an unborn baby. Ultrasound is used to help diagnose many medical conditions, such as cancer, gallbladder disease, blood clots and eye disorders.
Bone Density or DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)
This test is performed for diagnosing osteoporosis. X-rays are used to take a picture of the insides of your bones to determine if they have become porous due to osteoporosis. The DEXA test measures your bone mineral density and compares to an established benchmark/normal level.
For more information regarding any of the testing above, log onto www.wedmd.com.
