Sometimes a diagnosis requires an inside look and that’s why Oregon Medical Group physicians rely on the very latest medical imaging equipment, including: digital X-ray, 3D mammography, ultrasound, bone density/DXA, 3T MRI, 1.5 MRI and CT. Imaging services are located within many of the Eugene and Springfield area clinics, with a full imaging department in our Country Club Road location.
Our on-staff radiologists and physicians work as a team to identify the most appropriate imaging for each patient’s case and to help each patient through the imaging process in order to effectively diagnose the issue and proceed with the best treatment.
No one knows the value of safe, high-quality imaging better than doctors, so it’s no surprise that keeping OMG’s Imaging department ahead of the curve is a top investment priority for the doctors who own the medical group. We’re proud to have the most advanced 3T MRI available, to provide 3D mammography, and to offer low-dose and digital technology for all our equipment. Of course, none of this would matter without the doctors who read the scans: our radiologists work only for OMG and that means easy and complete doctor-to-radiologist communication.
Services and Procedures
Bone Density/DXA
Bone densitometry, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, DEXA or DXA, uses a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body (usually the lower (or lumbar) spine and hips) to measure bone loss. It is commonly used to diagnose osteoporosis, to assess an individual's risk for developing osteoporotic fractures. DXA is simple, quick and noninvasive. It's also the most commonly used and the most standard method for diagnosing osteoporosis.
This exam requires little to no special preparation. Tell your doctor and the technologist if there is a possibility you are pregnant or if you recently had a barium exam or received an injection of contrast material for a CT or radioisotope scan. Leave jewelry at home and wear loose, comfortable clothing. You may be asked to wear a gown. You should not take calcium supplements for at least 24 hours before your exam.
Computed Tomography (CT)
CT is a diagnostic imaging test used to create detailed images of internal organs, bones, soft tissue, and blood vessels. The cross-sectional images generated during a CT scan can be reformatted in multiple planes, and can even generate three-dimensional images which can be viewed on a computer monitor, printed on film or transferred to electronic media. CT scanning is often the best method for detecting many different cancers since the images allow your doctor to confirm the presence of a tumor and determine its size and location. CT is fast, painless, noninvasive, and accurate.
How Do I Prepare For A CT Scan?
Your Imaging team will give you specific instructions for your exam, based on the type of procedure ordered.
What Happens During The CT Scan?
CT scanning will be done at our Imaging Center at 920 Country Club Road, Suite 100A. You will lie down on a moving table, which will slide you into the tunnel-like scanning machine. The scanner can move around you to change the angles of the X-rays. Inside the scanner, multiple X-ray beams are passed very quickly through your body at different angles. The images are projected onto a TV screen and prepared for your healthcare provider to examine. A solution of dye (also called contrast media) may be injected into a vein, or you may be asked to swallow the solution. This allows the scanner to show specific areas as the dye passes through your body. Scans may last 3 to 20 minutes. They are painless, but you may get uncomfortable from lying in the scanner if the scan takes more than a few minutes. You can talk to the technologist at any time during the procedure.
What Happens After A CT Scan?
If you were given dye for the scan, drinking a lot of fluids after the procedure may help your body get rid of the dye. Rarely some people have an allergic reaction to the dye. Most reactions happen right away, but you could have a delayed reaction. After a CT scan that uses dye, watch for signs of a reaction. These signs include itching, rash, or sweating. If you start having these symptoms, call your healthcare provider right away. If your throat gets swollen or you have trouble breathing, call 911 for emergency medical care.
What Are The Risks Associated With A CT Scan?
In this procedure, your body is exposed to a very small amount of radiation. Exposure to radiation can be dangerous if you are exposed to it often or in large amounts. Oregon Medical Group is committed to radiation safety and uses standard dose reduction techniques to limit the amount of radiation you receive during your test. If you are pregnant, you should not have a CT scan without first discussing the possible risks with your healthcare provider. There is a small risk that you will have an allergic reaction to the dye. For example, there is a chance you will be allergic to the dye if you have a shellfish allergy. Even if you are not allergic to the dye, the dye may cause warm feelings, a flushed face, headache, or a salty taste in the mouth. Rarely, it can cause nausea and vomiting. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you know you are allergic to any medicines or chemicals such as iodine.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the inside of your body. It may be used to help diagnose or monitor treatment for a variety of conditions within the chest, abdomen and pelvis. If you're pregnant, body MRI may be used to safely monitor your baby.
Tell your doctor about any health problems, recent surgeries or allergies and whether there's a possibility you are pregnant. The magnetic field is not harmful, but it may cause some medical devices to malfunction. Most orthopedic implants pose no risk, but you should always tell the technologist if you have any devices or metal in your body. Guidelines about eating and drinking before your exam vary between facilities. Unless you are told otherwise, take your regular medications as usual. Leave jewelry at home and wear loose, comfortable clothing. You may be asked to wear a gown. If you have claustrophobia or anxiety, you may want to ask your doctor for a mild sedative prior to the exam.
When Should An MRI Be Used?
Injuries show up well on an MRI. For example, an MRI may show whether you have torn ligaments or torn cartilage in your knee and help your healthcare provider decide whether or not you need surgery. It is also useful for injuries involving the shoulder, back, or neck. Healthcare providers use MRIs to see problems in the brain and spinal cord and to see the size and location of tumors.
How Do I Prepare For An MRI?
Your Imaging team will give you specific instructions for your exam, based on the type of procedure ordered. Do not wear jewelry. If you have any metal in your body (such as plates or screws from a previous surgery) tell your healthcare provider. If you have a pacemaker you will not be able to have an MRI. If you have any metal fragments in or around your eyes you cannot have an MRI because the test may injure your eyes. If you have anxiety or claustrophobia (difficulty with small or crowded spaces), let your provider know.
What Happens During An MRI?
You lie down on a cushioned bed that moves into a magnet that is open on both ends. If you get nervous when you are in small closed spaces you should talk to your healthcare provider about this before you have your MRI to either schedule in our Open MRI or receive medication to relax. He or she may be able to give you a medicine that will help you feel less nervous or may insist that you are scanned in our open MRI scanner. You will have to be very still during the procedure so the pictures will not be blurry. Sometimes you are given a shot of a fluid called gadolinium before getting an MRI. This causes any abnormal areas to become very bright on the MRI. This makes them easier to see. Most MRIs take between 25 and 40 minutes. You will hear loud knocking and a whirring sound while the pictures are being taken. You will wear earplugs or music will be provided so that the noise doesn't sound so loud. You will be able to speak with the person doing the test through a sound system so you can let him or her know if you are having any problems. When the test is over you may go home. Your healthcare provider will schedule a visit with you to discuss the results.
What Are The Benefits And Risks Of An MRI?
An MRI is painless. There is no radiation. If you were given a shot of gadolinium, there is a chance you will have an allergic reaction, but this is very rare. Although there is no evidence that an MRI will hurt a baby during the first trimester of pregnancy, the National Radiological Protection Board recommends not using it at this time of pregnancy. MRI may be used safely later in pregnancy.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging uses a transducer or probe to generate sound waves and produce pictures of the body's internal structures. It does not use ionizing radiation, has no known harmful effects, and provides a clear picture of soft tissues that don't show up well on x-ray images. Ultrasound is often used to help diagnose unexplained pain, swelling and infection. It may also be used to provide imaging guidance to needle biopsies or to see and evaluate conditions related to blood flow. It's also the preferred imaging method for monitoring a pregnant woman and her unborn child.
What Happens During An Ultrasound Exam?
The sonographer applies an odorless, colorless gel to the skin above the body structure(s) to be studied. This gel helps conduct sound waves from the ultrasound transducer down to the tissues that are the focus of the study. The sonographer applies the transducer to the skin and short pulses of ultrasound waves are emitted and received. As the transducer is moved around, an image of the various organs under study appears on a monitor. The sonographer then electronically stores what he or she considers to be the most diagnostically useful images. Selected images are used by an interpreting physician to make a final diagnosis. Sonographers may also have managerial or supervisory responsibilities.
X-Ray
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. In a health care setting, a machine sends individual x-ray particles, called photons. These particles pass through the body. A computer or special film is used to record the images that are created. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will block most of the x-ray particles and will appear white. Metal and contrast media (special dye used to highlight areas of the body) will also appear white. Structures containing air will be black and muscle, fat, and fluid will appear as shades of gray.
How Is An X-Ray Preformed?
The test is performed in the Imaging Center or in the provider's office by a registered x-ray technologist. The positioning of the patient, x-ray machine, and film depends on the type of study and area of interest. Multiple individual views may be requested.Much like conventional photography, motion causes blurry images on radiographs, and thus, patients may be asked to hold their breath or not move during the brief exposure (about 1 second).
How Should I Prepare For An X-Ray?
Inform the health care provider prior to the exam if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, or have an IUD inserted.You will remove all jewelry and wear a hospital gown during the x-ray examination because metal and certain clothing can obscure the images and require repeat studies.
How Will I Feel During The X-Ray?
There is no discomfort from x-ray exposure. Patients may be asked to stay still in awkward positions for a short period of time.
What Are The Risks Of X-Ray?
For most conventional x-rays, the risk of cancer or defects due to damaged ovarian cells or sperm cells is very low. Most experts feel that this low risk is largely outweighed by the benefits of information gained from appropriate imaging. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image.Young children and fetuses are more sensitive to the risks of x-rays. Women should tell health care providers if they think they are pregnant.
