Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of organs and structures inside the body. MRI can detect changes in the normal structure and characteristics of organs or other tissues, which may indicate diseases caused by trauma, infection, inflammation or tumors.
Computed Tomography Scan (CT)
A computed tomography scan (also called a computerized axial tomography, or CAT scan) is a special type of X-ray that can produce detailed pictures of structures inside the body. CT scanning can be used to obtain information about almost any body organ, blood vessels, the abdominal cavity, bones and the spinal cord. A CT scan produces clearer pictures of internal organs than a regular X-ray.
Digital Mammography
Mammography is the most accurate method of detecting breast cancer today. Women who follow a regimen of monthly breast self-exams, annual exams by their doctors and annual mammograms after age 40 can increase their breast cancer survival rates by up to 97 percent.
Many small tumors can be seen on a mammogram before they can be felt by a woman or her doctor. The Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) System utilizes breakthrough software technology to highlight potential areas of concern. The system provides radiologists a second review when reading a mammogram on an electronic Mammagraph™ report, which calls attention to subtle changes in tissue that may indicate the presence of cancer.
Digital mammography offered at Baptist Health Medical Center-Hot Spring County takes an electronic image of the breast and stores it directly in a computer, allowing the recorded data to be enhanced, magnified or optimized for further evaluation. A recent government study determined that digital mammograms are better than traditional film methods in detecting breast cancer in women who are premenopausal, younger than 50 or who have dense breast tissue.
Digital mammograms offer significant advantages. Images are available immediately, and can be enhanced, stored digitally and transmitted instantaneously to a physician’s office or other facilities. These images are more detailed and can be acquired more quickly, reducing testing time.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to show what is inside your body. Unlike an X-ray, an ultrasound exam does not use radiation. Instead, a small microphone-like transducer is placed on the area of interest. High frequency sound waves are emitted and produce echoes from the internal tissues and organs. The transducer converts the echoes to electric signals to create an image.
X-ray
X-rays are a form of radiation that can pass through most objects, including the human body. When X-rays strike a piece of photographic film, they produce a picture.