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Medical Imaging
About
St. Mary’s Radiology Department is dedicated to providing patients with state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and treatments through the most current methods available in the medical field.
Equipment
St. Mary’s Radiology Department maintains state-of-the-art equipment with capabilities such as digital x-ray, digital mammography, CT, MRI and ultrasound. St. Mary’s recent expansion has created new suites for its high-tech CT and MRI scanners. These suites are now more convenient to the Emergency Center for urgent diagnostic studies for patients with possible strokes, heart problems, and other life-threatening conditions. The radiology department also offers convenient mammography and bone density services at St. Mary’s Outpatient Diagnostic, Rehab and Wellness Center.
Our Goal
We strive to exceed the expectations of our patients and physicians. We recognize that patients are human beings and deserve compassionate care, dignity, and respect. Our new technologies and positive attitude attract patients, staff, and physicians to St. Mary’s radiology services.
Personalized care and services include:
- Treating each customer as a unique and important person.
- Taking the time to listen and identify what each customer expects.
- Tailoring our responses to the customer’s individual needs and expectations.
- Communicating these expectations to others who will serve the customer.
- Taking responsibility for ensuring continuity in the care we deliver.
- Taking the initiative to help our customers solve problems in a positive manner.
- Demonstrating our compassion as well as our competence.
Our goal is to provide you with the best, most personalized care possible. We want to be your first choice for health care, and we hope you will recommend us to others.
Medical Imaging Services
MRI
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a high-tech diagnostic tool that uses a powerful magnet and bursts of radio waves to take incredibly detailed images of the inside of the body. St. Mary’s uses the Toshiba Titan MRI scanner at our imaging centers at St. Mary’s Hospital on Baxter Street and St. Mary’s Outpatient Diagnostic, Rehab and Wellness Center on Daniells Bridge Road. The Toshiba Titan features a wide-bore, 1.5 Tesla magnet for incredibly detailed images and maximum patient comfort. It includes the latest system for cardiac imaging, including stress MR. St. Mary’s MRI suites are designed for the comfort of our patients, providing soothing lighting and plenty of space for a family member to be with the patient, a feature that is especially helpful when the patient is a child.
Cardiac MRI
Cardiac MRI can reveal information about the heart’s health, such as how much oxygen reaches heart muscle tissue. It can show which parts of the heart have been damaged by a heart attack, are being stressed by a partially blocked blood vessel, contain too much iron, or are struggling with excess water. And cardiac MRI can provide all of this information in a single session, after which the patient can simply go home or return to work. Cardiac MRI provides 3-D views of the heart and can measure the volume of the heart’s chambers more reliably than any other technique. It is also used to examine vital heart structures such as valves and chamber walls. These services are provided at the the Exchange, just off of Ga. 316, or at St. Mary’s Hospital at 1230 Baxter Street.
Mammography and Ultrasound
St. Mary’s offers the best in digital mammography facilities, plus same-day scheduling without the need for a physician order. Private changing rooms, fast scheduling, short waits and same-day answers on follow-up tests make St. Mary’s mammography center convenient and compassionate. If a doctor has seen something suspicious, a diagnostic workup can be done using mammography, ultrasound, and/or a biopsy, without having to consult your family physician. This ensures that you receive the proper care immediately. Ultrasounds are done back-to-back with a mammogram, which is convenient and timely. The rooms feature soothing lighting and attractive décor to help you feel more comfortable.
Schedule your mammogram online or call (706) 389-2700
3D Mammography
St. Mary’s is excited to announce the arrival of 3D Mammography. 3D mammography is the latest advancement in the battle against breast cancer. Using high powered computers to take multiple images, 3D mammography decreases superimposition of normal structures for better breast tissue visualization. Studies have shown that 3D mammography reduces the call back rate by 37%, decreases the unnecessary biopsy rate by 11%, and increases the detection of invasive cancer by 53%. Simply put, it’s a better mammogram. 3D mammography is available at the hospital and the OP imaging Center located on Daniells Bridge Road. For more information on our 3D mammography services, call 706-389-2300.
Breast MRI
St. Mary’s is advancing the art of cancer detection in the Athens area by using the Invivo DynaCAD system. This system has helped to make St. Mary’s the first breast MRI facility in the Athens area with computer assisted diagnostics (CAD) and MRI-guided breast biopsy. The system helps physicians pinpoint possible cancers with greater accuracy, detect tiny cancers not obvious on mammograms or ultrasound studies, and combine real-time MR images with special biopsy equipment for maximum accuracy with minimal scarring. Breast MRI also is excellent for detecting cancers in dense breast tissue and in women at high risk for breast cancer. Breast MRI is useful as a screening tool for women who have had breast augmentation.
CT Scanning
The Toshiba Aquilion 64 CFX scanner can produce photo-quality, 3-D images of the heart, brain, spine, liver, and other internal structures in seconds. Only 64-slice scanners are fast enough to be certified for studies of the heart, synchronizing with the patient’s heart rhythm to capture detailed images between heartbeats. In addition to stroke, cardiac and coronary artery studies, the Aquilion is excellent for a wide range of other conditions, including cancer; spine, neck and back pain; lumbar spinal stenosis; brain tumors; aneurysm; Alzheimer’s Disease; traumatic brain injury; Epilepsy; Parkinson’s Disease, brain tumor; Multiple Sclerosis; spinal cord injury; dystoma, and more. St. Mary’s fleet of CT scanners also includes a 16-slice scanner, along with CT services at our convenient Outpatient Diagnostic, Rehab and Wellness Center just off Ga. 316.
O-Arm Multidimensional Imaging System
The Medtronic O-arm Multidimensional Imaging System is a new technology to enhance outcomes for patients who need spine surgery. The O-arm combines mobility, low-dose x-ray imaging and ultra-fast image processing to provide live 3-D navigation during surgery. This technology enables the surgeon to obtain highly detailed images of the surgical site in seconds, all without moving the patient.
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine uses a gamma camera and radioactive substances to diagnose and treat a number of conditions. Nuclear medicine differs from most other imaging methods in that it shows the physiological function of the body instead of the anatomy. St. Mary’s services and studies include nuclear cardiac stress tests; bone scans; renal, liver, and hepatobiliary studies, as well as diagnosis of Graves Disease through thyroid scans, uptake and therapeutic treatment for thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidisms. GI bleed studies, gastric emptying studies, lung quotients, sentinel node, breast and melanoma imaging are also studies performed.