UPMC Imaging Services aims to provide the highest-quality scans possible for accurate diagnoses, helping your doctor create the best treatment plan. Our expert radiologists work on-site for fast, high-quality readings. We have over 70 UPMC Imaging locations across western Pennsylvania, with convenient hours to make getting an image easier for you.
Share this on: Often patients will be referred for a medical imaging exam for disease detection, injury identification, or to let doctors take a look at a certain part of the body in closer detail. Never Miss a Beat!
Tap Click to Join! I understand that I may opt out of receiving such communications at any time. Thank you for subscribing! Message and data rates may apply. Symptoms, Treatment, and How to Help. Patient Portal. Request Appointment. Laura Marie Fayad, M. Imaging tests are extremely powerful tools that can help doctors diagnose a range of conditions. However, imaging tests are not the same as one another.
Learn the differences between a CT scan, MRI and X-ray so you can have an informed discussion with your doctor about which type of imaging is right for you.
CT scans, MRIs and X-rays are all diagnostic tools that allow doctors to see the internal structures of the body. They create images using various forms of electromagnetic energy such as radio waves and X-rays. These imaging technologies differ widely when it comes to:. An X-ray , also called a radiograph, sends radiation through the body. Areas with high levels of calcium bones and teeth block the radiation, causing them to appear white on the image.
Soft tissues allow the radiation to pass through. They appear gray or black on the image. The less dense tissues are hard to see and appear gray. The doctor will position the part of your body for scanning between the digital x-ray sensor or photographic film and x-ray machine.
While the machine sends the radiation briefly through your body, you need to stay still. If you fractured only one limb, the doctor might want to take an x-ray of the limb not injured to compare both. The images are ready quickly. It might also help with needle placement into a joint when injecting medication or removing fluid. Images from x-rays might not be as detailed as those produced with sophisticated methods.
Doctors often use x-ray scans for diagnosing broken bones. However, they have used them too for detecting types of cancer, pneumonia and other developing conditions. However, it generally only takes a few minutes. There are two primary types of x-rays — soft and hard. A CT scan generates high-quality, detailed images of the body. You may have a contrast dye injected into your blood so the doctor can see your body structures more clearly on the CT scan.
A CT scan creates detailed, quality images of bones, blood vessels, soft tissue and organs and may be used to help the doctor diagnose medical conditions such as:. CT scans are also used to detect tumors, and to evaluate lung or chest problems. A CT machine looks like a big box with a tunnel inside its center. You lie on a sliding table that slides you in and out of this tunnel as the machine rotates around you and produces cross-section images of your body.
Your technologist performing the test will sit in a different room with computers that will display the images. The PET CT scan helps the physician to see the level of activity of certain body organs and tissues, along with their structure. This tracer travels through your body systems. It acts like a dye for the imaging scan to pick up on. The radiation dose in the tracer is safe and minimal for most individuals. The tracer will be swallowed, inhaled or injected, depending on the examined body part.
CT urography is a type of specialized radiological exam used for evaluating the urinary tract, which includes the ureters, kidneys and bladder. The images of internal organs are very detailed and allow doctors to make decisions on the most accurate treatment plan to take.
0コメント