Procedures to help the community stay healthy and strong through the new year!
As we enter 2022, our medical team at Desert Radiology wishes for the local community to enjoy the new year in good health. We believe adding routine imaging appointments for patients at risk can help treat several diseases and cancers before they become too serious. This month we’d like to highlight our DEXA bone density test, cardiac CT scoring and mammogram services that could help provide our community a healthy start this year.
DEXA tests, a bone mineral density scan that measures the strength of bones, can provide helpful information about a patient’s risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures. Additionally, it allows our professional imaging team to track the effectiveness of treatment for osteoporosis and other bone loss conditions. DEXA procedures are painless and typically measure the lower spine or hips. They also take as little as 10 minutes to complete. We recommend this procedure for post-menopausal women age 60 and over who are at risk for osteoporosis, patients who have hyperthyroidism or patients who’ve taken medications known for causing bone loss over time.
A calcium scoring cardiac CT uses special x-ray equipment to produce pictures of the coronary arteries to determine if they are blocked or narrowed by the buildup of plaque. The information obtained from this procedure can help determine if a patient at increased risk of a heart attack. A cardiac CT scoring is a fast and painless procedure that only takes 10 minutes to complete and requires no preparation. They are recommended to patients who are at increased risk of coronary heart disease. Some of the indicators for those at risk include post-menopausal women over the age of 55, men over the age of 45 and patients who have a history of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels or smoking.
Patients at risk of breast cancer should consider our mammography procedures. According to the CDC, mammograms are the most effective tool for detecting early breast tumors and can sometimes find tumors up to three years before a patient feels them. This 30-minute procedure requires the technologist to apply pressure to the breast that may result in minor discomfort for some women. If informed of any discomfort, the technologist can use less pressure to finish the procedure. Doctors agree that early detection is crucial to treating breast cancer, and women age 40 and over are advised to schedule annual mammograms to help prevent tumors from going unnoticed.
As the year continues, we want more than anything for our patients to enjoy their lives and everything the new year brings them. Desert Radiology is committed to educating patients about the benefits of routine imaging, and it is our goal to provide to the highest quality procedures whenever they are needed. We encourage patients to speak with their doctors about which imaging services might be right for them to consider this year.
