A clear diagnosis and definitive picture of what’s going on is critical for proper treatment. Diagnostic imaging is a great tool to present an image of exactly what we’re treating and why. This process can seem confusing and intimidating – our job is to simplify and take action.
Imaging provides a non-invasive and painless way of visualizing tissues and organs in the body so that abnormalities can be identified. There are many different techniques for generating images. Some techniques utilized for detecting or diagnosing cancer include:
The machines produce a large amount of heat. We have to keep them at a constant cool temperature for them to operate properly. We have warm blankets, but if you are constantly cold, you might wear warmer clothes or dress in layers. Please wear as little to no metal as possible. This includes hooks on bras, zippers, snaps on shirts, etc.
The barium coats the stomach, small intestines, and large intestines. The iodine contrast highlights all the vessels. These two agents provide different contrasts on the images to make it easier for the Radiologist to see the different structures in your body.
Sometimes the barium can give patients diarrhea. (If you are allergic to sulfate, please tell the Radiology Department and they will give you a different contrast to drink.)
If you are allergic to iodine or shellfish, please contact the Radiology Department. We need to know what type of reactions you have to those and decide whether or not to use the IV dye or use pre-medications. When the Iodine dye is injected into your vein, it might make you feel warm, flushed, heart rate increase, and sometimes a feeling similiar to like you’re wetting your pants. This is all NORMAL and is NOT a reaction. Once we are done injecting the dye, those feelings will start subsiding and go away.
You cannot have a reaction to the radioisotopes used in WBBS, RVGs, or PET scans. There are also no side effects to these specific scans.
Please contact the Radiology Department to discuss any medications you are on and whether or not you can take them.
We allow 7 days from the scan date to the OV date. This allows us time to get any prior exams you have had done elsewhere for comparison. It also allows the Radiologist time to get all the images and paperwork and then read the study. Then it has to be typed by the transcriptionist and then sent back to CCK.
Each test has different patient prep. (Please refer to the specific instructions for each test listed above). Fasting for the CT allows the Radiologist to visualize the stomach and intestines without food blocking the anatomy. Fluids can over hydrate the kidneys and dilute down the iodine contrast so that it is harder to visualize any abnormalities inside the kidney. For PET scans, the special diet helps “starve” the body of glucose. Anywhere that there are cells metabolizing, the cells use glucose as fuel to grow (it doesn’t matter if they are healthy or cancerous cells). When you are injected with the radioactive “sugar water”, those cells will pull that glucose into the cells and the isotope goes along for the ride and basically gets “stuck” inside the cell. This is how we visualize those cancer cells on the images.
When you have a test that requires an injection of a radioisotope, your whole body is radioactive. The cells of a fetus are constantly growing and dividing and are more sensitive to radiation exposure. The cells in the thyroid tissue of children are also very sensitive to radiation exposure. Try to stay away from both groups as much as possible. If you must be in the same house, try to stay in a different room. The amount of time it takes for the isotope to decay down and lose its energy is usually 6 hours.
The MRI machine uses a combination of a strong magnet, radio transmitter and receiver. When the sequences are performed, electric current is sent through a coiled wire-an electromagnet. The switching of the currents causes the coils to expand making loud clicking sounds. Patients are given either headphones with music or earplugs during their MRI scan to help diminish the noise.
Important Update for Our Wichita Patients & Visitors
