A virtual colonoscopy, or Computed Tomography (CT) colonography examines the large intestine for cancer or growths using x-ray equipment.
PET/CT
PET/CT combines Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with Computed Tomography (CT) technology to help diagnosis cancer, determine the extent to which cancer has spread and how a patient is responding to treatment. In addition, PET/CT can be used to evaluate patients with cardiac, orthopaedical and neurological disorders such as seizures and dementia.
PET is a nuclear medicine test that uses special imaging cameras and a radioactive solution called FDG to create clear pictures of cell metabolism. CT uses X-rays to provide detailed information about the location, size, and shape of lesions or growths in the body. When combined in a single machine, the two techniques provide accurate, specific information about where abnormalities are located and whether they are cancerous.
Coronary CT Angiography (CTA)
Coronary CTA uses very advanced 64-slice CT equipment to provide a non-invasive way for doctors to determine whether fatty or calcium deposits are accumulating in one or more of the arteries that serve your heart muscle. When these arteries become blocked by these deposits, they can slow or stop blood flow to the heart muscle, causing shortness of breath, fatigue, and even a heart attack. To enhance the images taken by our 64-slice CT unit, doctors inject a contrast dye containing iodine into your arm, then take images as the dye passes through the heart. The procedure is an alternative to the invasive test called cardiac catheterization, where a catheter is passed from blood vessels in the groin to blood vessels supplying the heart. It is not appropriate for all patients with suspected heart disease; your doctor can help determine which test is best for you.
Calcium Scoring
This non-invasive screening procedure determines your risk level for heart disease by measuring the amount of calcium in the arteries of the heart. Our highly advanced, 16-slice CT scan is used to determine the buildup of calcium on the walls of the arteries of the heart. This test does not involve dye.
Stereotactic Biopsy
A stereotactic biopsy uses mammography, a special breast X-ray, to guide doctors to a lump or abnormality that can’t be felt or seen on ultrasound, but that can be seen on the mammogram. It creates a 3-D picture of the lump’s location to guide the radiologist to the right area with maximum accuracy. During this procedure, women lie face down on a special table that allows the breast to be placed in an opening. The radiologist will raise the table and perform a core needle or vacuum assisted biopsy from under the table. The Westminster Imaging Center has been designated a Breast Center of Excellence, one of only a few in Maryland.