Diagnostic Imaging Blog

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. At Independent Imaging, we understand the importance of regular cancer screenings and using advanced imaging systems to help diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers, including prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men in the US. Slow growing, prostate cancer occurs in a man’s prostate gland, a walnut-sized organ that is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

When you hear the word “radioactive isotopes,” it might conjure images of people in protective suits carrying around a glowing orb in metal tong-like tool. To find out if radioactive isotopes are safe or not, let’s break down what they are first. Radioactive isotopes are basically unstable chemical elements that release energy in the form of gamma, alpha, and beta rays. Basically, radioactive isotopes are like tiny packets of energy moving in waves through a material or space itself. Certain types of radiative isotopes can be safely used to destroy tumorous cancers, or create detailed real-time images of the inner workings of the body.

Modern ultrasound machines help doctors to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, injuries, and disorders. And while ultrasounds are on the leading edge of medicine today, the science behind them first came to light in 1794. That’s when an Italian biologist by the name of Lazzaro Spallanzani discovered that bats use soundwaves to help them navigate, even in total darkness. The original ultrasound systems were actually invented so that inspectors could detect industrial mistakes or flaws in the metal of transport ships. It was later adapted to provide crude images in Glasgow hospitals in the 1950’s. And the rest, as they say is, history.

Technological advances in medicine have given rise to a bewildering array of advanced nuclear medicine tests and diagnostic imaging systems. From PET scans to MRI’s, CT scans to ultrasounds, many patients are confused as to what makes one test different from another. At Independent Imaging, we understand that medical imaging can be a confusing topic. We also believe that a well-informed patient, is a happier healthier one, too. That’s why we created this helpful guide that is all about PET scans.

Gynecomastia is a condition in which males develop enlarged breasts. Often reversible, gynecomastia may still need to be evaluated with a mammogram (X-ray of the breast area). Digital mammograms, which offer higher resolution, extremely detailed imaging allow for specific manipulation, such as lightening or darkening, zooming in or adding contrast for better visibility by the radiologist.

If you are wondering why your doctor might order ultrasound imaging, the answer will often vary based on the patient, because it is based on what your doctor is seeking to learn about your condition. An ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that uses sound waves to “sees” beneath the surface, in order to locate potential conditions such as gallstones, tendon tears, or blood vessel damage. It can be used to detect abnormal growths, such as a fibroid or cyst in the ovaries. Ultrasounds are both fast and painless, with no exposure to radiation.

According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, deaths caused by breast cancer decreased by a whopping 38% between 1989 to 2014. This is largely due to more and more women becoming aware of breast cancer as well as self-checks for breasts and mammogram screening. Mammograms are an important breast cancer screening tool that has saved countless lives. If you are wondering how often you should get a mammogram, the American Cancer Society recommends women to get a mammogram every year, starting at age 45-54.

While diagnostic imaging is ultimately the best way to see what’s going on inside the body, there is still a possibility that these tests can create false positive results for patients. Both diagnostic tests (X-rays, MRI’s) and screening tests (Mammograms) are necessary when checking for cancer, but sometimes it can be said that they see too much. It is said that tests and early treatment can help with early detection and allow a person to get the proper form of treatment. However, as it turns out, imaging scans such as digital x-rays may result in a false positive result, where imaging results look like cancer, but may not be at all.

In medical news, there has been a lot of controversy and changing opinions surrounding breast cancer screenings (mammograms). But the truth remains that these screenings do save lives, as early detection can help give you an accurate diagnosis that allows the doctor to give you the correct form of treatment, if necessary. There should be no controversy, as women should be encouraged to be screened every year starting at the age of 40. Even in the case of a false positive, where mammograms show potential cancer when there is no actual cancer, a second opinion or further testing can help figure things out. What would be worse would be no testing, and letting cancer develop to a deadlier sta

Medical radiology all started when a man by the name of Wilhelm Röntgen discovered what is called the X-ray in 1895. At the time, Röntgen was exploring how electrical rays can pass from an induction coil through a glass tube. In a completely dark room, the tube was covered in black paper, and he noticed that a screen that was covered in florescent material became illuminated by the rays created from the glass tube.