3D VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY (COLONOGRAPHY)

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death in the United States. With proper screening, colorectal cancer may be avoided by early detection and removal of polyps colon-rectal. iScan Imaging offers a new technology called Virtual Colonoscopy used to screen for early detection of polyps or cancers in the large intestine. Polyps are growths that arise from the inner lining of the intestine,which have been known to take several years before becoming cancerous.

Virtual Colonoscopy also known as CT colonography, uses low dose radiation CT scanning to obtain an interior view of the colon (the large intestine) that is otherwise only seen with a more invasive procedure where an endoscope is inserted into the rectum and passed through the entire colon.

Unlike the traditional colonoscopy, the Virtual Colonoscopy requires no sedation and eliminates some of the discomfort normally associated with a traditional colonoscopy. After bowel preparation, hundreds of cross-sectional images of the abdomen are obtained to render a 3-D picture of the colon. A virtual fly through of the colon is then viewed by our board certified radiologist.

The goal of screening with Virtual Colonoscopy is to find these growths in their early stages, so that they can be removed before cancer has had a chance to develop. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women and men undergo screening for colon cancer or polyps beginning at age 50. Individuals at increased risk or with a family history of colon cancer may start screening at age 40 or younger and may be screened at shorter intervals.

Our radiologist with expertise in supervising and interpreting radiology examinations will analyze the images and send a signed report to your primary care physician or the physician who referred you for the exam, who will discuss the results with you.

Preparation

The bowel-cleansing regimen for Virtual Colonoscopy is similar to the preparation for a colonoscopy. Virtual Colonoscopy preparation is going to be restricted to clear liquids the day before the examination. It is very important to clean out your colon the night before your Virtual Colonoscopy examination so that our radiologist can clearly see any polyps that might be present. Preparations are Go-Lytely and bisacodyl tablets. Additional tagging agents may also be taken the day before the exam. These agents help our radiologist better distinguish stool from polyps by "tagging" the remaining stool and fluid.

Be sure to inform your referring physician if you have heart, liver or kidney disease to be certain that the bowel prep will be safe. Your physician can advise you on dietary restrictions prior to the exam. You will be able to resume your usual diet immediately after the exam.

Cardiac CT for Calcium Scoring

Coronary Heart Disease is the #1 cause of death and disability in the United States. Unfortunately, in many cases, the first signs of coronary heart disease may be a heart attack and possible death. By detecting coronary heart disease at an early stage and modifying your risk factors, the potential for advanced heart disease can be drastically reduced. A coronary calcium scan is a test that can help show whether you have coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease.

The Heart Scan is used to detect calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. It is the most sensitive non-invasive test for the detection of non-obstructive coronary cholesterol plaque available. Calcified plaque results when there is a build-up of fat and other substances under the inner layer of the artery. This material can calcify which signals the presence of atherosclerosis, a disease of the vessel wall, also called coronary artery disease (CAD). People with this disease have an increased risk for heart attacks. In addition, over time, progression of plaque buildup (CAD) can narrow the arteries or even close off blood flow to the heart. The result may be chest pain, sometimes called "angina," or a heart attack.

Because calcium is a marker of CAD, the amount of calcium detected on a cardiac CT scan is a helpful prognostic tool. The findings on cardiac CT are expressed as a calcium score. Another name for this test is coronary artery calcium scoring.

The Heart Scan is appropriate for men 35 or older and women 40 or older with any of the following risk factors:


High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
History of tobacco use
Family history of heart disease
Overweight or obese
Significant emotional or
Job-related stress
Heart scans can help detect life threatening illness such as heart disease. What's really exciting is the ability to detect diseases at an early stage, which can offer patients a greater number of treatment options.

Cardiovascular disease is the nation's leading killer of adults. Physicians use CT scans to quickly see an incredible level of detail regarding a person's heart and coronary arteries. It is so powerful it can capture an image of the entire heart in just two beats, while reducing radiation doses by up to 80 percent. If heart and vascular disease is discovered at an early stage, doctors can recommend more effective treatment options and lifestyle changes that can reduce risk and potentially save lives.

CT Scan of the Sarcoma

Computed tomography scans SARCOMA

The computed tomography (CT) scan is an x-ray procedure that produces detailed, cross-sectional images of your body. Instead of taking one picture like a conventional x-ray, a CT scanner takes many pictures as it rotates around you. A computer then combines these pictures into an image of a slice of your body. The machine will create multiple images of the part of your body that is being studied. A CT scan is often done if the doctor suspects a soft tissue sarcoma in the chest, abdomen, or the retroperitoneum. This test is also used to see if the sarcoma has spread into the liver or other organs.

Before any pictures are taken, you may be asked to drink 1 to 2 pints of a liquid called oral contrast. This helps outline the intestine so that certain areas are not mistaken for tumors. You may also receive an IV (intravenous) line through which a different kind of contrast dye (IV contrast) is injected. This helps better outline structures in your body.

The IV contrast dye can also cause some flushing (redness and warm feeling). Some people are allergic and get hives or, rarely, more serious reactions like trouble breathing and low blood pressure. Be sure to tell the doctor if you have ever had a reaction to any contrast material used for x-rays.

CT scans take longer than regular x-rays. You will need to lie still on a table, and the part of your body being examined is placed within the scanner, a doughnut-shaped machine that completely surrounds the table. Most scans only take a few minutes.

CT scans might be done to precisely guide a biopsy needle into a tumor that is inside the body — the chest or abdomen, for example. For this procedure, called a CT-guided needle biopsy, the patient remains on the CT scanning table while a radiologist advances a biopsy needle toward the location of the mass. CT scans are repeated until the doctors are sure the needle is within the mass.

CT Scans Reduce Need for Exploratory Surgery

A 2009 report from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) found a dramatic increase in the use of nuclear medicine since the 1980s, especially computed tomography (CT) scans. These scans help guide treatment of car-accident injuries, cancer, blood clots in the lungs and many other conditions. Approximately 68 million CT scans were performed in the United States in 2006, according to the NCRP. 

CT and other medical imaging procedures have largely eliminated the need for exploratory surgery, leading to a lower risk of surgery-related complications and shorter hospital stays, said Cynthia McCollough, Ph.D., a professor of radiological physics at the Mayo Clinic. Improved technology enables CT scanners to tailor the radiation dose to the specific exam type and individual. As a result, the average dose per CT exam has fallen by a factor of two or three since the early 1980s, McCollough said.

CT Coronary Angiogram

Using the same technology as coronary artery calcium scoring it is possible to view the coronary arteries and their major branches, not only looking for calcium deposits but also for any signs of narrowing within them. This technique detects both calcium deposits and “soft plaque”, and is called a CT coronary angiogram. It is rapidly becoming established as an alternative to conventional coronary angiography, which necessitates an admission to hospital, usually as a day case, and entails a higher risk of complication, albeit still low overall. It is important to note, however, that the radiation doses of the two techniques are not that dissimilar. In addition to providing information about the blood supply to the heart, a CT angiogram can also assess the pumping action of the heart and provide information about other structures surrounding the heart.

The patient should not eat for two hours prior to the scan and caffeine should be avoided for 12 hours beforehand, but drinking water is not an issue. Better quality images are obtained at slower heart rates, and so a tablet or injection of a beta blocker may be given to slow the heart rate adequately for the scan, and the patient will be attached to an ECG monitor for the duration of the scan. Since the test entails the use of a radiographic dye (contrast) to outline the arteries, a recent blood test is needed to check the patient’s kidney function beforehand, since the dye will be excreted through the kidneys into the urine. A CT coronary angiogram is an outpatient procedure lasting approximately 45 minutes, and the patient can leave the department immediately after the scan and resume normal activities.