Our Services
Pueblo Radiology offers an array of screenings tests using mammography, ultrasound, and CT scanning. Our screening exams are performed so that we can detect the presence of many common forms of cancer and disease in their early stages, so that a patient and their physician can take the necessary actions for early intervention. As opposed to the “street corner” parking lot mobile operations that provide a similar service, we only work with a physician referral.
We believe that screening imaging studies should be part of a physician-guided comprehensive well-person evaluation, therefore, we strongly urge you to seek the guidance of your physician. In this way, your testing can be tailored to your specific concern, and other important testing, like lab tests, can also be performed.
CT Screening Services
The Pueblo Radiology whole body CT scan is a personalized scan that can detect the presence of many common forms of cancer in their early stages, so that a patient and their physician can take the necessary actions for early intervention. These studies, while extraordinary in the amount of information generated, must be evaluated based on your age and the associated radiation dose, as well as with the patient’s entire heath care picture in mind.
Pueblo Radiology uses the Siemens Perspective 64 CT scanner. Newly installed in September 2014, this 64 slice scanner provides high speed, very low dose, and superior image quality. The image quality of this scanner allows our radiologists to see fine anatomical details that could not be seen previously without surgery. The actual scan is performed in less than one minute and consists of scans through the lungs and the organs of the abdomen and pelvis. Our board certified radiologists look for signs of possible heart disease, lung disease, aortic aneurysms, and tumors (cancer) in the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. They also check for non-life-threatening conditions including gallbladder and kidney stones, and degenerative disease of the spine.
This whole body scan is designed for people with no medical complaints, and who make a personal choice with their physician to undergo a screening exam. While a whole body scan may not be appropriate for you, portions of the examination, such as cardiac calcium scoring or lung nodule detection can be very valuable. Regular evaluations by your personal physician remain the cornerstone of your medical care. Be sure to call us or ask your doctor about screening CT services at Pueblo Radiology.
CT Cardiac Calcium Scoring
To assess your risk for heart disease, ask your family doctor about undergoing a screening cardiac calcium CT examination. Such an examination can not only tell you more about the calcium load in your coronary arteries (a known predictor for the risk of having a heart attack), but also is an indicator for the presence of cardiac blood vessel lesions called “plaques”. Plaques cause narrowing in these arteries, reducing blood supply to the heart muscle, which may lead to a heart attack. Only early diagnosis can ensure timely action to reduce the risk factors and initiate treatment, if necessary, to help prevent the onset of significant heart disease.
FAQs
You belong to a high-risk group if any of the following factors apply to you:
- You have high cholesterol levels
- You have high triglyceride values
- You smoke
- You have high blood pressure
- You are hereditarily at risk
- You have diabetes
Or any of the factors in combination with a sedentary lifestyle. If one or more of the above points apply to you, contact your physician to find out more about how CT can help in the evaluation of your heart.
Cardiac Calcium Scoring: This examination evaluates the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries, which is a predictor of cardiac disease. A positive coronary calcium score result serves as a good indicator of the risk for certain types of heart attack. A negative calcium score result is a good indicator that coronary vessels are intact. The examination is performed in approximately 15 seconds with a relatively low radiation dose.
CT Coronary Angiography: This test is not offered in our office, but can be obtained at St Johns Regional Medical Center in Oxnard – this test needs to be done on a CT scanner having at least a 128 slice capability. This highly detailed examination is performed by injecting a contrast material into a vein in the patient’s arm, which then will enhance seeing the coronary vessels. This will make it possible to obtain a complete 3-D scan of the heart, “a “virtual trip through the heart”, without a catheter. The actual scan takes only 20 seconds, within an examination time of 30 minutes. The precise results of this examination will give the patient’s doctor information about the condition of the patient’s coronary vessels.
CT Colonography
The risk of intestinal cancer currently ranks as the second most common form of lethal carcinoma. The main risk of developing intestinal cancer results from polyps located in the large intestine, which may eventually grow to become malignant tumors. Intestinal cancer testing is recommended in patients over 50 years of age. If the polyps are identified in time and removed while in a benign state, you may be able to prevent their development into a cancerous condition. The “gold standard” to visualize colon polyps is still the colonoscopic examination, however, an increasing number of articles are touting the use of CT colonography. By comparison, a CT examination is much less complicated and relatively painless for visualizing clinically significant polyps.
FAQs
CT Colonography (CTC) is an advanced non-invasive method for colon cancer screening. It allows doctors to look at the large bowel (colon) to detect polyps and cancers. Polyps are small growths in the colon that may become cancerous if they are not removed.
CT Colonography is an appropriate screening option for the following individuals:
- 50+ years of age
- Family history of colon cancer
- Unsuccessful colonoscopy in the past
- Persons unable to undergo anesthesia
- Any person needing a screening examination of their colon
You belong to a high-risk group if any of the following factors apply to you:
- Presence of polyps
- You indulge in high-fat and/or high meat diet
- You are hereditarily at risk
- Ulcerative colitis
If one of the above points apply to you, contact your physician to find out if a CT Colonography study is appropriate for you.
Patients need a cleansing preparation of their bowels prior to the test. The actual CT Colonography procedure will begin by inserting a small flexible tip into the rectum so that CO2 can be gently introduced. A CT scan is then performed while the patient lies comfortably on their back and then on their stomach. The total time required for the study is 20-30 minutes. Because sedation is not required, patients are able to leave the CT center immediately without the need of observation. Patients can resume their normal activities after the procedure, including eating, working or driving. The radiologist will analyze the CT data and your physician will receive a report of the findings within 24 hours.
When air (CO2) is introduced into the colon, some patients experience mild abdominal cramping or “gas pains;” an intravenous injection of a widely used medicine (Glucagon) to relax the bowels can be given to help reduce gas pains, but this is usually not necessary. CT colonography is much more comfortable than standard colonoscopy. Following the procedure, the gas within the colon is absorbed by the colon lining, breathed off, or expelled in a normal way.
Radiation in CT examinations is minimal due to modern technology and the brief duration of the examination. A benefit to the Pueblo Radiology scanner (the Siemens Perspective 64) is its use of iterative reconstruction when creating the images, which reduces the radiation exposure to the patient by 30-50% of the dose of other CT scanners.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. Approximately 140,000 cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and 60,000 patients will die of the disease. Colon cancer can be prevented if polyps are discovered and removed early. Tumors (masses of abnormal cells) take years to develop. Polyps when detected can be removed preventively. Nevertheless, individuals at greatest risk of developing colorectal cancer remain largely “under-screened” due in part to poor public awareness and to poor public acceptance of current screening techniques.
If you have no history of colon cancer and are of the age 50 or older, physicians usually recommend having a CT Colonography study done once every five years.
The cost of the test is $800.00
Not all insurance companies cover the examination. A cash or credit card payment is expected at the time of the exam. You will be given a statement, which you may then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement in case your insurer considers this test a covered service.
You may request a copy of your report at the time of your appointment.
We encourage all patients to have a physician to whom the results can be sent. If you don’t have a physician, you will be provided with the results. Those patients, who have been determined to be at high risk based on their CT exam, will be urged to seek the care and evaluation of a physician.
CT Lung Screening (Low Dose)
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening should be discontinued once a person has not smoked for 15 years or develops a health problem that substantially limits life expectancy or the ability or willingness to have curative lung surgery.
FAQs
You belong to a high-risk group if any of the following factors apply to you:
- You have smoked for more than 10 years
- You are hereditarily at risk
- You are professionally at risk
- You are over 55 years old
If one or more of the above points apply to you, contact your physician to find out if a CT screening scan of the lungs might be appropriate for you.
A CT scan is performed, with a low radiation dose, in just 15 seconds. If the result is negative, clinically significant lung lesions/nodules can be excluded with very high probability. If positive, further diagnostic measures appropriate for the severity of the suspected disorder may be are required.
This is a screening technique that has been discussed in recent medical literature as an extremely sensitive method of detecting early and potentially curable lung cancers, while they are still very small nodules, i.e. less than 1 cm in size.
Once the patient is on the CT Scanner, the test should take no more than 15 minutes.
This is not a painful test. There are no injections. It merely requires one to hold their breath for roughly 20 seconds.
A negative is never absolute, however, it is extremely accurate in the detection of small lung nodules, the earliest sign of lung cancer. A small cancer that may arise in the tracheal / bronchial tree may not be detected by this technique.
If the test is positive, it means you have one or more small lung nodules. But this does not mean you have lung cancer. The test is designed to detect small nodules in the lung. If you have a positive test (one or more nodules), a high resolution (more detailed) CT Scan will be performed. The purpose of this is to further characterize the lesion, to look for certain features that make it more suspicious for cancer, or more likely to be benign. In addition, depending on the number, size and characteristics of the nodules, some patients will go on to have a lung biopsy. This is usually under CT guidance with local anesthesia. A sample of the nodule is obtained through a needle. Some patients may go directly to surgery. There is a large sub-group of patients who will have a recommendation for a follow-up study to try to determine the growth of the nodule.
The cost of the study is $350.00 This is a significant reduction over the cost of a standard CT Scan on the chest.
At this point in time, most insurance companies will pay for this test, as long as you meet certain criteria. Meet with your physician to find out if you meet the criteria. A payment will be requested for this at the time of service. We will be happy to bill your insurance company so that you can be reimbursed (if applicable).
CT Total Body Scan
Full Body CT screening examinations offer physicians a “quick look” at the internal anatomy from the neck through the pelvis, providing views of soft tissues in the neck, and visualizing the lungs, heart and abdominal organs such as the liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys. Full Body CT screening is used as a preventive or pro-active healthcare measure for healthy individuals who have no symptoms or suspicion of disease. With Full Body CT screening, disease or abnormalities may be detected early in their development.
The following disabling or life-threatening diseases may be detected before you are experiencing any symptoms: Aneurysms, Cancer, Gall Stones, Ovarian Disease, Prostate Disease, Heart Disease and Vascular Disease.
Screening Vascular Ultrasounds
Vascular disease is among the leading causes of death in the United States, yet is generally asymptomatic until a catastrophic event occurs, such as a heart attack, stroke or aneurysm rupture. Pueblo Radiology offers preventive vascular screening ultrasound to bring legitimacy and medical integrity to the “parking lot” screening exams commonly seen in many communities.
Pueblo Radiology’s vascular screening cover three important areas:
1. Carotid arteries (neck) – to access stroke risk
2. Aorta (abdomen) – to detect the presence of aortic aneurysm
3. Blood pressure assessment of the lower extremities to identify PAD (1) and risk of heart disease
Together, this three-part assessment can be an important element in determining risk of vascular disease in general, implying relative risk in areas that are more difficult to “see”, such as the heart (coronary arteries).
Individuals 55 years of age or older with any of the following cardiovascular risk factors may benefit from preventive screening for vascular disease:
- Diabetes mellitus
- History of hypertension
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Known cardiovascular disease
- Smoking
Noninvasive screening examinations have proven to be accurate in detecting vascular disease prior to active warning signs and before a major medical incident such as stroke or sudden death from aneurysm rupture. With the baby boomer population aging and Americans 60 years old expected to reach nearly 76 million by 2020 (5), raising public awareness about vascular disease and screening becomes critical.
5. American Stroke Association, 2010
FAQs
The abdominal aorta is the main artery of the body. Vascular disease and potentially lethal aneurysms (abdominal aortic aneurysm = AAA) can occur without visible signs or symptoms. Overall, the probability of AAA in the general population is low, but this increases when certain risk factors are present. These include:
– Age, Male gender, White race, Smoking, Family History of aneurysms, History of other vascular aneurysms, Hypertension, Atherosclerotic diseases, Cerebrovascular disease, High cholesterol
• One-time ultrasound screening for AAA is recommended for all men at or older than 65 years. Screening men as early as 55 years is appropriate for those with a family history of AAA. • One-time ultrasound screening for AAA is recommended for all women at or older than 65 years with a family history of AAA or who have smoked. • Re-screening patients for AAA is not recommended if an initial ultrasound scan performed on patients 65 years of age or older demonstrates an aortic diameter of <2.6 cm
Vascular disease can block the carotid arteries to the brain and cause strokes. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States1. Each year, 137,000 people die annually from this disorder (1). A large proportion of strokes is caused by plaque in the carotid arteries. In 2010, it was estimated that Americans would pay about US$73.7 billion for stroke-related medical costs and disability (2).
1. National Vital Statistics Report, 2010 2. American Stroke Association, 2010
Vascular disease can impair circulation to the legs, leading to reduced ability to walk and in some cases, leg amputation. Vascular disease in the legs is a major marker for heart disease.
One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has peripheral arterial disease (PAD). It affects eight to 12 million people in the United States (3). Individuals with PAD suffer a five-fold increased relative risk of a cardiovascular ischemic event and total mortality that is two-three fold greater than those without PAD. Therefore, screening for PAD not only identifies patients with asymptomatic PAD in whom risk factor modification can slow or stop the progression of the disease process, but also allows identification of individuals who may also may be at risk of heart attack and stroke due to blockages affecting these organ systems.
3. American Stroke Association, 2010
