X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation just like visible light. They can be emitted by specially designed machines which create photons (individual X-ray "particles") with high energies which can pass through the body and be detected by X-ray sensitive film. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will block most of the photons, and will appear white on developed film. Structures containing air will be black on film, and muscle, fat, and fluid will appear as shades of gray. Metal and contrast media (intravenous or oral contrast) blocks almost all the photons and will appear bright white.

The basic science of X-ray generation and detection is the key behind general radiographs of the body, mammography, fluoroscopy (real-time imaging on video screens), and computed tomography (CT).   Nevada Imaging Centers also provides fluoroscopy procedures.

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A mammogram is an x-ray test that produces an image of the inner breast tissue on film. This technique, called mammography, is used to visualize normal and abnormal structures within the breasts. Mammography, therefore, can help in identifying cysts, calcifications, and tumors within the breast. It is currently the most effective way to detect early breast cancer. Breast self-examination (BSE) on a monthly basis and examination by a doctor are still important, but physical examinations typically find breast cancers when they are much larger than those detected by mammography. While mammography can discover a small cancer in a curable stage it not foolproof. Ten to fifteen percent of breast cancers are not identified by mammography and these cancers are found by physical examination. It is essential for a woman to perform monthly BSE and have a breast examination by her doctor in addition to the mammogram in order to most effectively screen for breast cancer. For more information, please contact your physician.

The American Cancer Society and the American College of Surgeons currently recommend that a woman obtain her first baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 to 40. Between the ages of 40 to 50 a mammogram should be done every other year. After the age of 50, a mammogram should be repeated yearly. Women who are at high risk for developing breast cancer may need to obtain mammograms earlier than these recommendations and at more frequent intervals.  For more information, please contact your physician.

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Ultrasound is an imaging procedure that uses very high-frequency sound waves to produce an image of many of the internal structures of the body. It is painless and produces very precise images of certain parts of the body.

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Every day, physicians use radiography, or x-rays, to view and evaluate bone fractures and other injuries of the musculoskeletal system. However, a plain x-ray test is not the best way to assess bone density. To detect osteoporosis accurately, doctors use an enhanced form of x-ray technology called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA). DEXA bone densitometry is today's established standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD). DEXA is a quick, painless procedure for measuring bone loss. Measurement of the lower spine and hips are most often done. More portable devices that measure the wrist, fingers or heel are sometimes used for screening, including some that use ultrasound waves rather than x-rays.

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Computed Tomography (otherwise known as CT or "CAT" scanning) combines advanced computers and rotating x-rays to create highly detailed cross sectional computer generated images of body parts and internal organs in order to detect different disease processes. The exam is fast, patient friendly and has the unique ability to detect and diagnose a wide variety of medical conditions and abnormalities. It is frequently used as the primary diagnostic tool for early detection of tumors, infection, inflammatory conditions, stroke, obstructions, trauma and kidney stones. At Nevada Imaging Centers, these examinations are performed by certified x-ray technologists, and every examination is directly supervised and interpreted by board certified specialists in diagnostic radiology.   Nevada Imaging Centers has recently added a 16-slice CT to its Spring Valley location.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an exciting new technology which allows your doctor to have the clearest possible look at your internal anatomy. MRI does not use x-rays or radiation. MRI uses a powerful magnetic field and radio waves to provide computerized images, which appear as "slices" of the anatomy, for the radiologist to determine the differences between healthy and abnormal tissue. Your doctor will use this information to help determine the course of your treatment.

Originally, MRI exams were only performed in a tunnel-like structure (Closed MRI). Some patients experienced symptoms of claustrophobia. At Nevada Imaging Centers our Open MRI system is open on three sides. This allows you to speak with staff and family members during the procedure, and generally makes for a more pleasant experience. This can be particularly helpful for small children and those who feel uncomfortable in tight or confined spaces.  We also provide 3.0T MRI, MRS, MRA, Open MRI and Open High Field MRI.

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Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques both to image the body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique in that it documents organ function and structure, in contrast to diagnostic radiology, which is based upon anatomy. It is a way to gather medical information that may otherwise be unavailable, require surgery, or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests.

As an integral part of patient care, nuclear medicine is used in the diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of serious disease. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease -long before some medical problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. This early detection allows a disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a more successful prognosis.

Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials or radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and and treat disease. Radiopharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones, or tissues. The radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of cameras: gamma or PET cameras. These cameras work in conjunction with computers used to form images that provide data and information about the area of body being imaged. The amount of radiation from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic x-ray.

Today, nuclear medicine offers procedures that are helpful to a broad span of medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to psychiatry. There are nearly one hundred different nuclear medicine imaging procedures available and not a major organ system which is not imaged by nuclear medicine.  

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The name "PET" comes from Positron Emission Tomography. It is a new scanning technique in medical research. PET allows us, for the first time, to measure in detail the functioning of distinct areas of the human brain while the patient is comfortable, conscious and alert. We can now study the chemical process involved in the working of healthy or diseased human brains in a way previously impossible. Before the advent of the PET scanner, we could only infer what went on within the brain from post-mortems (dissections after death) or animal studies.

PET represents a new step forward in the way scientists and doctors look at the brain and how it functions. An X-ray or a CT scan shows only structural details within the brain. The PET scanner gives us a picture of the brain at work.

Many physicians in fields including cardiology, neurology, and oncology use PET Scanning. A PET image can map the biological function of an organ, can detect subtle metabolic changes, determine if a disease is active or dormant, may be used to determine if a tumor is benign or malignant (malignant tumors have classic metabolic patterns), and may be used to stage certain types of cancer.

A PET Scan is an expensive test. PET facilities require sophisticated computer equipment, a cyclotron, and highly trained specialists. A cyclotron is a machine - an accelerator that propels charged particles (e.g. protons) using alternating voltage in a magnetic field.

The test begins with the injection of a radionuclide (tracer) specific to the function/metabolism to be investigated. Within a short period of time, the tracer collects in the specific body area. The patient lies comfortably on the scanning table, while a ring-shaped machine is properly positioned over the target body part. Detectors in the 350-degree ring pick up gamma rays emitted from internal body tissues. The computer analyzes this data to produce cross-sectional images on film and/or a video monitor. The images are often color coded according to the concentration of the tracer.

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A SPECT Scan is capable of providing information about blood flow to tissue. It is a sensitive diagnostic tool used to detect stress fracture, spondylosis, infection (e.g. discitis), and tumor (e.g. osteoid osteoma). Analyzing blood flow to an organ (e.g. bone) may help to determine how well it is functioning.

As part of the family of nuclear imaging techniques, PET and SPECT scans use small amounts of radiolnuclides (radioactive isotopes) to measure cellular/tissue change. Radiolnuclides are absorbed by healthy tissue at a different rate than tissue undergoing a disease process. A deviation in normal rates of absorption may be an indication of abnormal metabolic activity, which could lead to structural change (e.g. vertebra). X-rays, CT Scans, and MRI can only image structure (e.g. anatomy), not function or metabolism.