Imaging Services
Almost everyone has undergone a medical imaging or radiology test. Most often these tests involve a simple x-ray administered at your local clinic or the screening mammogram women receive as part of an annual exam. Imaging tests can also be very complex, using the latest developments in Ultrasound, Computed Tomography, and MRI to peer inside the body and create images that reflect normal structures and abnormalities.
Advanced imaging technology continues to be made at Vernon Memorial Healthcare to continue our commitment to provide the best possible care for our patients. For more information on the imaging services we offer, please call 608-637-4350.
Imaging Services Offered
Ultrasound uses sound waves that are too high for you to hear to study organs, tissues, and blood vessels. The ultrasound sends sound waves into your body to produce an image. The images produced provide valuable information for diagnosing and treating a variety of disease and conditions without the use of radiation. We offer multiple ultrasound services in the areas of abdominal, gynecologic, obstetric, vascular, and small parts imaging.
Ultrasound usually is a painless procedure. However, you may experience some mild discomfort as the sonographer guides the transducer over your body. A typical ultrasound examination takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes.
Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic imaging test that creates detailed images of internal organs, bones, soft tissue, and blood vessels that cannot be seen in conventional x-ray. Our new Siemens SOMATOM CT scanner generates cross-sectional images during the scan and then are re-formatted into three-dimensional images. CT is fast, painless, and a non-invasive scan that is often the best in detecting many different cancers. In emergencies, CT can reveal internal injuries and bleeding quick enough to help save lives.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses powerful magnets, radio waves, and a computer to make detailed pictures inside your body.
Your doctor can use this test to diagnose you or to see how well you’ve responded to treatment. Unlike X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans, MRIs do not use ionizing radiation of X-rays.
A MRI helps a doctor diagnose a disease or injury, and it can monitor how well you’re doing with a treatment. MRIs can be done on different parts of your body. It’s especially useful for looking at soft tissues and the nervous system.
VMH offers the latest diagnostic technology in digital mammography, both in 2-D and 3-D digital mammography. Although the procedure can be uncomfortable as the breast is pressed firmly between two plastic plates, it takes only about 20 minutes, is inexpensive and exposes a woman to a minimal dose of radiation.
Mammography is very sensitive, detecting cancer one to three years before it can be felt as a lump or produce any symptoms. In most cases, these early tumors can be treated successfully. Mammography is still recognized as one of the most effective tools available for the early detection of breast cancer.
3-D mammography is a screening tool used to look for breast cancer. The technology provides clear, detailed images, regardless of breast tissue density. The accuracy of the images allows radiologists to detect smaller cancers sooner, and also decreases the chance of false-positive results and call-backs for additional imaging tests.