Friday May 9, 2008

Radiology Services

The Hospital is proud of its world-class equipment and team of board certified radiologists.

The radiologists and staff provides 24/7 radiology services to over 53,000 patients each year using the latest technology including wide bore MRI, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, Digital Radiography, Fluoroscopy and Mammography.

Our new Picture Archive Communication System (PACS), a high-tech storage and delivery solution for managing electronic versions of traditional radiology film, allows patient scans to be sent automatically to the PACS storage system where they are digitally stored and can be accessed by a physician in his or her office via a secure internet site.

If you are coming to Olean General Hospital for a test or procedure in our radiology department, you can use the following form to locate preparation information.

I'm coming to Olean General Hospital for a

64-Slice CT Scanner
Patient in 64-slice CT scanner Olean General Hospital has the only 64-slice CT scanner anywhere in the area.

The Siemens SOMATOM Sensation 64 is the world’s first CT scanner able to take 192 images of the heart per second. This non-invasive, virtually pain-free procedure offers exceptional image quality, which can mean better diagnosis, faster recovery time and increased patient comfort and convenience.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in most of the world. To help avoid it, experts recommend that people learn the risks for heart disease, be tested and diagnosed as early as possible, and begin treatment as soon as they can. Imaging techniques such as cardiac CT are just one tool doctors use to examine the heart and determine a patient’s risk for developing heart disease.

There are many benefits available in our 64-slice CT scanner that are not found in any other CT scanner, including speed, comfort, and clarity.

  • Engineered for speed and accuracy so a complete exam of the heart can take as little as 10 minutes, from scan to diagnosis. * Previously, patients suspected of heart attack might undergo a stress test, ECG study, and blood testing, which could take much longer.
  • Allows doctors to evaluate the most common causes of acute chest pain with a single scan.
  • Permits some patients to avoid surgical procedures, such as cardiac catheterization.
  • 64-slice technology requires that you hold your breath for shorter periods than older, 16-slice technology—for example, a scan of the blood vessels in your heart now requires that you hold your breath for 9 seconds, compared to 17 seconds with 16-slice equipment.
  • Provides excellent image quality, regardless of your size and weight.
  • Images the beating heart in real time, permitting evaluation of its valves and the motion of its walls in greater detail.
    • Patient in 64-slice CT scanner

    What is the test like?
    During the examination you will be lying on a comfortable patient table (usually on your back). This table will then slowly move you through the opening of the examination unit called the gantry. All you need to do now is pay attention to the instructions of the CT personnel who may, for example, ask you to briefly hold your breath or not to move certain regions of your body. What Happens During the Examination? As with conventional X-ray examinations, you will not feel the acquisition of CT images at all; you will only hear a low whirring noise. The patient table will move slightly during the entire examination.

    → What should I expect when I arrive? [Click To View]

    1. Registration
    As with all Medical Imaging Procedures, you need to register before your exam. The best way to save time is to pre-regsiter for your procedure, either by using the online pre-registration form or by calling (716) 375-5040. Pre-registering allows you to bypass the registration area on the day of your appointment, and report directly to the outpatient imaging waiting area. and inform the receptionist that you have arrived. Patients are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their appointment.

    2. Patient Preparation
    The next step will depend upon the type of CT scan you are having. Some scans require no preparation, such as a CT of the head. Other exams such as a CT of the abdomen, will require you to drink oral contrast. You may also require an IV so that the technologist may inject intravenous contrast.

    3. CT Scan Room
    When you enter the CT scan room, you will be asked to lie on the CT table. If you need an IV, the radiology-certified nurse will start one at this time. A nurse or technologist will explain the procedure to you, instruct you on holding still, breathing, and any sensations you may experience. Once you are correctly positioned you will be asked to relax and not move. Positioning straps may be placed to ensure proper position is maintained through the scan. The nurse and technologist will leave the room and begin the scanning procedure from the computer console.

    THE NURSE AND TECHNOLOGIST CAN SEE AND HEAR YOU AT ALL TIMES, AND CAN COMMUNICATE WITH YOU VIA THE INTERCOM.

    Preliminary scans are completed. No intravenous contrast is required for these scans. The technologist uses the preliminary scans to set up the rest of the exam and this may take a couple of minutes. When the technologist is satisfied with the scanning parameters, you will be informed that the scan will begin. At this time the intravenous contrast will be injected if needed. Depending upon the type of scan, the table may move in increments or one continuous movement. The total examination time is usually less than a few minutes.

    Once the scan is complete your IV will be removed by the nurse and technologist. You will be monitored for a short time by the radiology nurse. You may return to normal activities unless otherwise instructed.

    4. Reporting
    After you leave the images are transferred to workstations where they are manipulated and reviewed by the radiologist. A report is sent to your referring physician.




    4D Ultrasound
    Olean General Hospital now offers 4D ultrasounds. Taking a traditional three dimensional image and adding the fourth dimension of time, this new technology allows an expectant mother to see her baby's movement in the womb. During the test, the sound waves from the ultrasound are interpreted by the transducer and ultrasound machine to display 2D images and 3D/4D volumes. 4D ultrasounds are used by physicians and sonographers to help monitor the progress and development of a baby in the womb.

    How does an ultrasound work? For an abdominal scan, ultrasound gel is applied to the belly. An ultrasound transducer is then used to send sound waves into the body.

    What is being looked for? In the first trimester, a vaginal ultrasound is often performed and is used to verify heart beat, look for multiples, and to set due dates. In addition an ultrasound in the first trimester can rule out abnormalities such as ectopic pregnancy or potential for miscarriage. In the second trimester, abdominal ultrasound is performed. A full anatomical survey is performed and measurements are taken to verify growth and detect fetal development problems. In the third trimester, ultrasound is used to analyze fetal growth and fetal movement and ensure fetal and maternal well-being. Your physician will determine the need for and timing of your ultrasound scan(s).

    Comprehensive Breast Cancer Diagnostics
    Our mammography techs and radiologist stand in front of our state-of-the-art mammography machine
    Because one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, Olean General Hospital now offers comprehensive breast cancer diagnostic testing including mammograms, ultrasounds and stereo-tactic biopsies using state-of-the-art equipment and certified technicians.

    A mammogram is a set of x-rays that allows a practitioner to find lumps too small to feel in a breast self-examination - even as small as a grain of salt. A screening mammography is the single most effective method of detecting breast cancer in its early stages.

    Olean General Hospital recently began offering a new test to help detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. Stereotactic (or X-ray guided) Breast Biopsy, is a procedure using a tiny hollow needle to take a small sample of the suspicious lesion. Stereotactic breast biopsies are often used as an alternative to open surgical biopsies, and use a smaller tissue sample. As such, they are much less likely to leave a scar, and can take samples from a smaller area. During a stereotactic breast biopsy, a special mammography machine is used to pinpoint an area of change in the tissue. After a sample of this tissue is collected by the surgeon with the aid of the x-ray tech, the tissue sample is sent to the lab where a determination is made as to whether the tissue is cancerous.

    For a pregnant mother, using ultrasound to check the health and well-being of her unborn baby can represent not just a peace of mind, but an opportunity to check for diseases or problems and begin treatment sooner. Olean General Hospital is proud to now offer state of the art 3D ultrasounds for a variety of diagnostic tests, including the monitoring of pregnant mothers or evaluating suspicious lumps found during a mammogram. For pregnancies, 3D ultrasounds take the traditional ultrasound images and provides real-time three-dimensional imagery of your baby in the womb.

    We are accredited by the American College of Radiography reflecting achievement of high practice standards for mammography services.

    Additionally, we have excellent Board Certified radiologists, surgeons and pathologists, so women no longer have to travel out of town for these services.

    MRI
    Cathy, our MRI tech stands in front of our large bore MRI
    Olean General Hospital is also please to have a 1.5 tesla, wide bore MRI. This machine is capable of producing results much more accurate than any other local MRI unit. Coupled with our highly trained staff, we make the experience as comfortable as possible, while obtaining the clearest, most detailed images. We also have the only board-certified, interventional radiologist anywhere in the area on our staff.

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radiofrequency waves and a strong magnetic field rather than x-rays to provide remarkably clear and detailed pictures of internal organs and tissues. The technique has proven very valuable for the diagnosis of a broad range of pathologic conditions in all parts of the body including cancer, heart and vascular disease, stroke, and joint and musculoskeletal disorders. MRI requires specialized equipment and expertise and allows evaluation of some body structures that may not be as visible with other imaging methods.

    Nuclear Medicine
    Test results from a nuclear medicine study
    Nuclear medicine tests use a small amount of radioactive substances that are attracted to different organs. Special cameras then capture images of the organs that can be used to diagnose and even treat various conditions. The amount of radiation in a nuclear medicine test is comparable to that received in a diagnostic x-ray. Common nuclear medicine applications include diagnosis and treatment of hyperthyroidism (Grave’s Disease), cardiac stress tests to analyze heart function, bone scans for orthopedic injuries, lung scans for blood clots, and liver and gall bladder procedures to diagnose abnormal function or blockages.

    → What should I expect when I arrive? [Click To View]

    There are many different nuclear medicine tests used for a variety of different purposes. Below are some of the most common tests and the expectations you as a patient might expect.
    As with all Medical Imaging Procedures, you need to register before your exam. The best way to save time is to pre-regsiter for your procedure, either by using the online pre-registration form or by calling (716) 375-5040. Pre-registering allows you to bypass the registration area on the day of your appointment, and report directly to the outpatient imaging waiting area. and inform the receptionist that you have arrived.

    Bone Scan

    1. A technologist will bring you back to the nuclear medicine room.
    2. You will be injected with a radioisotope
    3. You are free to leave for three hours. You must return in three hours for your scan. This type of test requires this amount of time for the radioisotopes to be visible in the bones when you are scanned.
    4. The scan lasts approximately 20 minutes.
    5. Your results should be available to your doctor within 24 hours.

    Renal Scan

    1. A technologist will bring you back to the nuclear medicine room.
    2. You will be injected with a radioisotope
    3. You will be scanned immediately and the scan lasts about 30 minutes.
    4. Your results should be available to your doctor within 24 hours.

    MUGA Scan

    1. This is a scan of the heart.
    2. A technologist will bring you back to the nuclear medicine room.
    3. The technologist will draw blood from you. The blood is mixed with a radioisotope and has to sit for 20 minutes.
    4. The mixture is then injected back into you.
    5. You are then scanned for approximately 20-30 minutes.
    6. Your results should be available to your doctor within 24 hours.

    Stress Tests

    1. The first day you report to cardiopulmonary for the treadmill portion of the test. This portion of the test checks your heart during activity
    2. On day two, you report to the outpatient radiology area where you will be injected with a radioisotope
    3. You can leave for one hour. You must report back in one hour to be scanned.
    4. The scan lasts approximately 20 minutes.
    5. Your results should be available to your doctor within 24 hours.

    Lung Scan

    1. A technologist will bring you back to the nuclear medicine room.
    2. You will be asked to breathe in a radioisotope
    3. You will have a series of scans that will last approximately 20 minutes.
    4. Your results should be available to your doctor within 24 hours.