Diagnostic and Medical Imaging

An angiography is a test that lets your doctor look at your arteries. This safe test can help doctors diagnose problems with your heart and blood flow, and can also be used for procedures that help treat these problems.

Bone densitometry is a test to measure bone density and bone loss. The test is often used to determine if you have osteoporosis.

Computed tomography, or CT, is an imaging test that uses special x-rays to see what may be happening inside your body. Find out what it’s used for, how it’s done, and how to prepare for the test.

Diagnostic imaging uses technology to see what may be happening inside your body. Find out what types of tests can be done and what they are used for.

PET, or positron emission tomography [PAH-zih-TRAWN e-MIH-shun toh-MUH-gruh-fee] tests, use a radioactive tracer that collects in tissues and organs in your body. A scanner then detects the tracer and can highlight certain parts of the organs, including the heart, lung, brain, and other areas.

A fluoroscopy [floo-ROS-kuh-pee] is a medical imaging test that takes a continuous x-ray of a part of your body, either to diagnose a condition or to help with another procedure like catheterization, broken bone repair, and stent surgery.

A mammogram uses an x-ray to create a picture of the inside of your breast. Mostly used as a tool to screen for breast cancer, it can help find breast cancer before other signs appear.

Myelography [mahy-uh-LOG-ruh-fee] is an imaging test of the spine. A doctor, typically a radiologist, gives a contrast injection of special dye into the spinal column. As the dye flows through the spinal column, the radiologist can better see tissues and any abnormalities.

Nuclear medicine helps diagnose and treat certain conditions using radiation and a small amount of radioactive material that is put into the body. Unlike an x-ray or CT scan, nuclear medicine can show how your body is working rather than just an image of a bone or an organ.

A positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging test that looks for diseases in the body.

Reflection imaging uses sound waves to take pictures of your internal organs. Two common kinds of reflection imaging procedures are ultrasounds and echocardiograms [ek-oh-KAHR-dee-oh-grams].

An ultrasound or sonogram is a type of diagnostic imaging that allows clinicians to view what is happening within your body. Ultrasound technology/sonography uses sound waves to produce images of organs and activity within your body cavities. Ultrasounds help providers better understand and diagnose conditions that they can’t see from the outside of your body, rather than using more invasive measures.

An X-ray uses energy waves to see detailed images of the inside of your body, including bones and internal organs.