IMAGING SERVICES

Yavapai Regional Medical Center offers all of its patients a full selection of state-of-the-art Imaging Services at both YRMC West, the main campus in Prescott, and the YRMC Del E. Webb Outpatient Center in Prescott Valley. Highly trained professionals ensure that all YRMC imaging procedures are fast, safe and painless to accurately and efficiently diagnose diseases in their early stages. The result: better outcomes and better health for area residents. A doctor’s referral is required for all imaging procedures. Along with standard X-ray services, YRMC Imaging Services include:

YRMC Imaging Services:

CT SCAN

CT Scan, or Computed Tomography examination, is a sophisticated diagnostic imaging procedure that permits cross-sectional imaging to allow physicians to see a single slice of the body ... just as if you were taking a slice of bread out of a loaf. CT Scans are used for diagnostic procedures that range from examining the head for bleeding or blood clots, to determining an organ’s size and shape and evaluating disease processes. Using this technology, physicians can view the inside of anatomic structures, a feat not possible with general radiography. Radiation exposure is low.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sophisticated diagnostic technique that uses a magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to generate detailed and cross-sectional images of human anatomy. Because it produces better soft-tissue images than X-rays, MRI is most commonly used to create sharp images of the brain, spine, thorax, vascular system and musculoskeletal system (areas like the knee and the shoulder). MRI is safe and noninvasive and produces no X-ray radiation, although it is not generally recommended for pregnant women. There are no known side effects or after effects.

ULTRASOUND

Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, uses sound waves to produce images of organs, vessels and tissues in the body. The procedure has many applications, including: evaluating blood flow within the heart, detecting breast cysts or gallstones, assessing the health of unborn babies, and examining the prostate, uterus, liver, kidneys, pancreas, colon and urinary bladder. During an ultrasound exam, inaudible sound waves create “echoes” as they bounce off organs and tissue ... and these echoes are then converted into an image on a computer screen. It is a safe, effective form of imaging.

MAMMOGRAPHY

Mammography is an X-ray procedure that uses low-dose radiation to create an image of breast tissue ... and is the best way to detect breast cancer early and improve the odds of successful treatment. A mammogram can reveal breast lumps up to two years before they can be felt. The American Cancer Society recommends that women receive a mammogram once a year after age 40, though women at risk may need to have mammograms sooner or more often. The entire procedure, including preparation and processing the images, usually takes 40 to 60 minutes. Actual exposure time is very short.

FLUOROSCOPY

Fluoroscopy is a specialized diagnostic procedure that permits examination of either the large bowel or the upper gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and the first small portion of the bowel or intestine. A fluoroscope is an X-ray unit combined with a television screen that allows a radiologist to observe the flow of a compound called liquid barium through the part of the body being examined. A series of X-rays will be taken. The radiation produced passes through the body immediately, and it is not necessary to take any special precautions following the examination.

ADDITIONAL PATIENT RESOURCES

RadiologyInfo™ (www.RadiologyInfo.org), the patient education Web site developed by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR), provides patients with information on diagnostic imaging, interventional radiology, and radiation therapy.