The Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging provides service 24 hours a day throughout all its divisions, either through on-site coverage or emergency call-back. The department is a full-service department providing:

Bone Density Screening
CT (Computed Tomography)
Digital X-Ray
Digital Mammography
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Nuclear Medicine
Sonography/Ultrasound

Bone Density Screening
A bone density test is often used to screen for and detect the early stages of osteoporosis, a condition defined by a decreased density of normal bone.

CT (Computed Tomography)
A CT scan is a painless method of taking a series of special pictures of your body. You will be asked to lie on a special table and the radiographer will position you for the examination. You may have to receive an intravenous contrast solution during the examination.

Length of Procedure
The procedure takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes.

Special Notes
For exams being done as an outpatient, please arrive in registration 20 minutes prior to the appointment time. Most exams will not require you to wear a gown. Bring any outside x-ray films pertinent to your exam. If your exam requires bloodwork, please come in the day before your exam to have it done, if possible.

Digital X-Ray
Digital X-ray uses small amounts of ionizing radiation to demonstrate anatomical structures. You will be asked to lie on a special table and the radiographer will position you for the examination. You may be required to have contrast agents depending on the type of test ordered by your physician. Some common diagnostic X-ray exams performed at OSF St. Francis Hospital are:

• Colon
• Small Bowel
• Upper G.I. Series
• Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCU6)
• IVP

Digital Mammography
Digital mammography is the most up-to-date, technologically advanced mammography equipment for imaging the breast. It can reveal tumors too small to be felt and can show other changes in the breast that doctors believe may suggest cancer.

Preparing for a Mammogram
On the day of the exam, you may bathe or shower as usual. However, please do not use deodorants, powder or perfume on the breasts or underarm area. These products may actually appear on the mammogram, reducing the accuracy of the exam.

Some women find that avoiding caffeine one week prior to the mammogram helps relieve tenderness felt during a mammogram.

Women who experience premenstrual breast tenderness should try to schedule their exam for the week after their menstrual cycle is completed.

Because you will be asked to change into a gown, you may prefer wearing a two-piece outfit.

Medical History
At the time of the examination, the technologist will ask you for your personal history relating to breast disease. This information and the results of the physical exam will be used by the radiologist (a physician specially trained to read X-rays, including mammograms) when interpreting the mammography films.

Exam Results
Following your examination, the mammography films will be read by a radiologist. If films from a prior mammogram are available, a comparison will be made in order to detect any changes in the breast. The radiologist's report will be sent to your physician.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
The MRI exam is a new way of looking at disease processes without the use of radiation. Instead, magnetic resonance uses radio waves to provide images which give excellent anatomical detail and reflect changes in tissue chemistry. During the exam, you lie on a table in a strong magnetic field while a computer collects the information used to create images.

Preparation
Contrast material may be given by intravenous injection, but generally there are no dietary restrictions and all medication may be taken without interference.

Length of the Procedure
The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes. Outpatients arrive in outpatient registration 30 minutes prior to the exam for registration. Some patients may require sedation for the procedure. If this is necessary, special arrangements will be made by your physician prior to your visit.

Special Notes
People with pacemakers should not visit the MRI site. Those who are pregnant, have aneurysm clips in the vessels of the brain, or have artificial heart valves, should have the physician's office inform the department at the time of scheduling to determine if it's safe and possible to have an MRI exam. Most exams do not require you to wear a gown.

Nuclear Medicine
A nuclear medicine image or scan involves the intravenous injection of a small amount of radioactive tracer. After a variable waiting time, images are taken from several angles with a scintillation camera. Since the radioactive drugs are very low concentration, reactions are nonexistent and the radiation dose is approximately equal to that of a chest X-ray.

Preparation
Most nuclear exams require no preparation.

Length of Procedure
Most Nuclear Medicine studies require approximately 45 minutes to one hour of imaging time. However, some procedures require a time between injection of the material and the actual imaging.

Special Notes
Ask your doctor for details on your procedure.

Sonography/Ultrasound
A sonogram uses sound waves to examine various parts of the body. A microphone-like instrument, called a transducer, is scanned over the skin on which a gel has been placed. The gel improves the contact of the transducer to the area being examined. The procedure is painless.

Preparation
Some sonograms require a full bladder while others require that you not eat or drink after midnight. Please ask the physician or nurse about the exam.

Length of the Procedure
The procedure takes 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the area being examined.

Special Notes
You may be asked to wear a gown for the examination. For exams being done as an outpatient, please arrive for registration 20 minutes prior to our appointment time. Feel free to ask questions at any time.