At Enloe Health, we offer radiology services to diagnose and treat different medical conditions. Diagnostic radiology uses different exams and tests to create images from inside the body to help caregivers find injuries or diseases.
For your convenience, we offer services at several locations.
Our staff performs radiologic procedures with skill, efficiency and compassion. We focus on patient safety and comfort.
Enloe Health Advanced Imaging is fully accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR). This is the gold standard in medical imaging and means we go through a rigorous review process to ensure we meet nationally accepted standards.
Enloe Health Breast Imaging was also designated a Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center by the ACR.
Our caregivers pride themselves in keeping up with the latest imaging technology.
MRI Scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
This test uses a strong magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce a detailed image of your organs, tissue or skeletal system. This test does not involve exposure to radiation. Enloe Health Advanced Imaging — Esplanade has two high-field 1.5 T MRI scanners. Enloe Health Advanced Imaging — Springfield Drive has a 3T MRI scanner with a wider opening that can accommodate patients who weigh up to 500 pounds.
MRI is most useful in examining soft tissue, such as the brain, spinal cord, heart, blood vessels and other internal organs. It can also be useful for examining the spaces between bones and joints.
Many MRI exams require an injection of IV contrast to evaluate tissues more completely.
Before you get an MRI, tell your doctor if you:
- Are claustrophobic
- Are pregnant
- Have an allergy to Gadolinium
- Have pieces of metal in your body, such as if you have had a shrapnel or bullet injury or you are a welder
- Have metal implants or electronic devices in your body, such as a cardiac pacemaker, neuro stimulator, medication infusion device, or a metal artificial joint
Learn how to prepare for an MRI scan.
Breast MRI
A breast MRI scan can provide information that may not be visible with a mammogram or ultrasound. Caregivers may use this test if you have a higher risk of breast cancer due to strong cancer genes. Some other instances where it’s used are:
- To determine the cancer stage
- To test a patient’s response to chemo
- To differentiate scar tissue from recurrent breast cancer
CT Scan
This procedure is sometimes called a CAT scan or Computed Tomography. It uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to create detailed images of different parts of the body, including bones, muscles, fat and organs. CT scans are more detailed than normal X-rays and involve more exposure to radiation. They are not recommended for pregnant women or children unless necessary.
Our CT scanners provide extraordinary image detail and produce less radiation. The Enloe Health CT department makes an effort to reduce the amount of radiation when it’s possible and to eliminate unnecessary procedures.
These efforts are similar to those recommended by the Image Wisely and Image Gently campaigns, developed by the American College of Radiology and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
In some cases, a contrast substance is taken by mouth or injected, to help the physician better view the area of the body. CT is painless, and can take 5-10 minutes. Learn how to prepare for a CT scan.
PET Scan
A PET scan shows how cells function in your body. Usually combined with other scans, they allow a more accurate diagnosis of cancer, heart disease and brain disorders, often earlier than other studies.
Enloe Health Advanced Imaging is the only Enloe department to offer this technology. Learn how to prepare for a PET scan.
Fluoroscopy
This type of exam provides a view on a monitor, like an X-ray movie, to help physicians make a diagnosis. A contrast agent may be used to provide a better image.
Fluoroscopy enables physicians to look at many body systems, including the skeletal, digestive, urinary, respiratory and reproductive systems.
Fluoroscopy involves a dose of ionizing radiation that can vary depending on the length of exposure during the procedure. We strive to keep the exposure to a minimum.
Enloe Health’s Nuclear Medicine department follows the ALARA principle. ALARA stands for “As Low As Reasonable Achievable.”
We make every effort to maintain exposures to ionizing radiation as far below the dose limits as possible.
Nuclear Medicine
This test uses a small amount of radioactive material. It’s used to diagnose and determine the severity of several diseases like cancer, heart disease, and gastrointestinal endocrine and neurological disorders.
Depending on the type of exam, the patient receives an injection, inhales a gas, or swallows a “meal” or pill that contains material that helps to produce a clearer picture and information.
3D Mammogram
As one of the several services provided by Enloe Health Breast Imaging, 3D mammogram provides high-resolution screening and diagnostic images that are used to detect 20-65% more invasive breast cancers than the conventional 2D mammogram.
Ultrasound
This painless, noninvasive test helps physicians diagnose medical conditions. Ultrasound produces pictures of the inside of the body using high-frequency sound waves. It can be used as image guidance during an invasive procedure.
Ultrasounds do not use ionizing radiation, so there is no radiation exposure to the patient and images are captured in real-time. Technologist and physicians can see the structure and movement of the body’s internal organs, blood flowing through the vessels, as well as the structures and movement of a fetus.
With the help of an ultrasound, expectant families can get a sneak preview of their baby’s face in 3D.
X-Ray
This painless and non-invasive medical test produces images of your body to help a doctor diagnose and treat a medical condition.
X-rays, also known as radiography, are most often used to detect bone or joint problems, or to check the heart and lungs. X-ray uses electromagnetic waves, a type of radiation, to produce images. The radiation dose is minimal, about the amount that a person would be naturally exposed to from the environment over 10 days.
