5 Things Your Radiologist Wants You to Know About Medical Imaging

Medical imaging is critical in the diagnostic and treatment process. Imaging studies including X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, nuclear medicine and ultrasounds use various technologies to see below the skin's surface. These technologies are an important part of disease detection, monitoring existing conditions and determining treatment response.

If you’ve never undergone an imaging study, here’s what you should know about the process:

Know where and who will be performing your study 

Your doctor will refer you to an imaging center or hospital for tests necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. The best imaging centers will have highly qualified physicians and technologists. For example, all Orlando Health Imaging Centers’ (OHIC) physicians are highly trained board-certified radiologists based in Orlando. These radiologists will view your study, interpret the results and communicate them to your doctor in a timely manner.

Your study may start before you even enter the imaging center

Depending on the type of imaging study, you may be instructed to fast, take a bowel prep solution or continue your usual routine. Other considerations for your imaging study include knowing your pregnancy status and presence of implanted devices such as pacemakers or joint hardware. For most studies it is best to wear loose fitting clothing without metallic accents and leave any metal outside of the imaging room. 

Be a know-it-all about your healthcare

In order to provide a tailored and personalized interpretation of your imaging study, it is important for the radiologist to have a complete picture of your healthcare journey. Discuss your medical conditions, prior surgeries and current medications with the imaging team as these things all can impact the conclusions drawn from the images. If you’ve had prior imaging studies, bring the disc and report with you. 

Discuss your imaging study results with your doctor

Your doctor is best suited to determine where the imaging study results fit into your overall health plan. If there are questions that your physician can’t answer about the study, these can be clarified by the radiologist.

Be aware that you may need to schedule a follow-up study

Your first encounter with medical imaging may not be your last. Follow-up studies are often needed for monitoring a particular condition or treatment plan. They can help better define what the next steps are for your medical care.  Common follow-up studies include CT scans for lung cancer screening, mammograms for breast cancer screening and MRIs for further evaluation of a skeletal or abdominal abnormality. 

You can call OHIC directly to schedule your first or follow-up study. Certain imaging studies can even be scheduled at OHIC directly by your physician through your electronic medical record. 

Orlando Health Imaging Centers (OHIC), which are affiliated with Orlando Health and Medical Center Radiology Group (MCRG), offer specialized diagnostic imaging and care services. We have six convenient locations throughout Central Florida and are focused on providing the highest standard of care. 

To learn more about OHIC, please visit: http://www.orlandohealth.com/physician-practices/orlando-health-imaging-centers