A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not use radiation (x-rays).

Single MRI images are called slices. These images can be stored on a computer or printed on film. One exam produces dozens or sometimes hundreds of images.

MRI

An ultrasound test is a radiology technique, which uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body. 

The sound waves are sent through body tissues with a device called a transducer. The transducer is placed directly on top of the skin, which has a gel applied to the surface. The sound waves that are sent by the transducer through the body are then reflected by internal structures as "echoes." These echoes return to the transducer and are transmitted electrically onto a viewing monitor. 

The echo images are then recorded on a plane film and can also be recorded on videotape. After the ultrasound, the gel is easily wiped off. 

Ultrasound testing is painless and harmless. Ultrasound tests involve no radiation and studies have not revealed any adverse effects.

Ultrasound

At the moment, most modern hospitals in the United States of America are replacing their old HRCT scanners with multi-slice Helical CT Scanners. While it may be much cheaper to purchase a HRCT scan now, it would unwise to do so at a time when it is being slowly phased out. Maintenance optimization and lifecycle management challenges will become an issue a few years down the road. Such a situation will be untenable considering the large initial capital expense.

However, where resources are tightly constrained, it may be advisable to proceed with the use or purchase of a mobile HRCT as a temporary measure.

Site preparation, installation, and training also add to the overall cost of a CT or MRI machine. Consequently, we will provide a maintenance service agreement as is the standard in the industry. This will protect the client's investment and provide long term technical support for the client user - the hospital.

It is advisable that the CT and MRI scanners be compatible with computerized medical records. Remote assist for second opinions can be arranged as this system has DICOM on board already. This allows for second opinions on equivocal images.

This can be done since the images can be assessed remotely. This service carries a subscription charge. 

There are currently 4 types of CT Scanners on the market based on the technology that powers the scanner:

A - Conventional CT Scan

B - High Resolution CT Scan (HRCT)

C - Helical CT (Spiral CT) Scan (2 Subtypes)

       i. Single Slice
       ii. Multidetector (MDCT): multislice

D - Electron Beam CT: On the advanced fringe of the CT technology

CT Scanners

It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. It is also a well-known fact that early detection is one of the cardinal tools to ensure survival in this very vulnerable patient population. Screening Mammography remains indispensable as a screening test for early breast cancer.

Like all X-rays, mammograms use doses of ionizing radiation to create an image. Radiologists then analyze the image for any abnormal growths. At this time, mammography is still the modality of choice for screening for early breast cancer. It is the gold-standard with which other imaging tests are compared. It can be used in the hospital and also transported to outlying comprehensive health centers and general hospitals on a scheduled basis. 

Mammography Units

Our current recommendation on X-ray systems is that they must be digital. The era of X-rays that required wet processors and delays in developing films is long past. The use of digital X-ray systems ensures the availability of the X-ray image over multiple viewing platforms simultaneously. This also allows remote or off-site second opinions to be utilized during equivocal reads. There is an overall enhancement in patient outcomes and the opportunity for loss of films and duplication of studies is eliminated. 

Digital Xray systems / Mobile Imaging Units