Salem Radiology Receives ACR Accreditation for CT Salem Radiology Consultants has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in CT as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

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INSIST ON ULTRA-LOW RADIATION DOSE CT SCANNING NOW AVAILABLE (40% Lower Dose)

CT scans are frequently used by medical providers to gain information about a patient’s specific health condition, however, there are long term radiation exposure risks that patients should be aware of and consider prior to consenting to a CT scan. We know that the radiation dose a person receives has a cumulative health effect over a person’s lifetime with each additional scan creating an added layer of cancer risk to the patient. Because of this, it is important that CT scans are used when there is a clear medical benefit and in a manner that uses the lowest radiation dose possible. It is especially important that younger patients or individuals needing multiple CT scans insist on an ultra low dose scanning option.

How Much Radiation is Used in a CT Scan?

We are all exposed to radiation daily from soil, rocks, building materials, air and water. This is called naturally occurring background radiation. The radiation used in x-rays and CT scans has been compared to background radiation we are exposed to daily and has been illustrated below. This comparison may be helpful in understanding relative radiation doses as a patient.

Why Don’t All Facilities Offer Ultra Low Radiation Dose CT Scanning?

Ultra low dose CT scanning is a new advancement in CT scanning technology that requires millions of complex statistical calculations with each scan and only recently became available with the advent of today’s most powerful computer processors. Many facilities either have older scanners that are not capable of ultra-low dose scanning or have not invested in the low dose technology. At the current time, Salem Radiology Consultants has the only scanner in the region capable of this level of radiation dose reduction. As physicians specializing in the field of radiation, we are concerned about the cumulative effects of radiation dose to our patients who receive periodic CT scans and we have been very pleased with the immediate reduction in radiation dose to our patients with absolutely no compromises in the quality of study images.

How Can You Minimize Your Radiation Risk?

• Consent to a CT scan when there is a clear medical benefit
  
• Use alternative diagnostic studies (such as ultrasound or MRI) when possible
  
• Avoid multiple scans
  
• Use the lowest amount of radiation necessary to image the body area of concern
  
• Be educated and be your own advocate – INSIST ON AN ULTRA-LOW DOSE CT SCAN

CT Scan Technology

CT technology takes pictures by rotating a "camera" called a detector around the human body. While the cameras are rotating, a person lies on a specially designed bed which is comfortably moved through the camera's area of focus. Standard CT scanners have 1, 4 or 16 cameras circling around the body. On February 13, 2006, Salem Radiology Consultants introduced the first CT scanner in the region and only the second of its kind in Oregon to scan with 64 cameras. Because this technology operates 4 (four) to 64 (sixty-four) times faster than other standard CT scanners it has several distinct clinical advantages to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and comfort to the patient being scanned.  

The difference between CT-64 and standard technology has been compared to the difference between taking pictures of a runner with a still camera compared to using a video camera. The faster you take pictures, the more images you have to analyze of the runner's progress. The still camera captures fewer images, providing less information while the video camera captures images continuously, gathering more information.  

With the speed of CT-64 @ SRC, images are continuously captured in a manner similar to that of a video camera. This has several benefits:  

Scan Times Measured in Seconds.

New Era in Diagnosing Heart Disease.

Every day adults with no symptoms of heart disease fall victim to the "silent killer". This year more than 250,000 people will die of heart attacks before they reach a hospital with heart disease claiming more lives than the next six causes of death combined. At SRC our goal is to reduce this statistic.   With CT-64 @ SRC, we now have the ability to see crisp, clean video of the heart and coronary arteries. With this new technology your personal physician can request a CT scan of the heart and chest that will give you a measure of your heart health before any symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath occur.

Consider it a one-stop heart check-up with an analysis of the coronary arteries, valves, ventricular analysis, myocardial mass, plaque morphology and lung parenchyma. This revolutionary technology was recently featured in Time Magazine and on the Oprah Winfrey show as one of the most significant advances in medical imaging technology.

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Perfect Dose Modulation

The CT-64 scanner @ SRC is equipped with the innovative perfect dose modulation system which captures patient images with no more and no less than the optimal dose of radiation. The feature reduces overall radiation dose by up to 25%. Certain boney or dense areas of the body require more radiation than other areas such as the chest. The CT-64 scanner @ SRC is able to detect and automatically adjust during the scan to deliver more or less radiation as needed. It also has the ability to automatically lower the radiation exposure for our smaller patients making it perfect for pediatric imaging.  

Reduced Breath Hold.

To obtain a clear picture and reduce motion caused by the movement of the lungs, several CT studies require a person to hold their breath. Standard CT scanners may require a person to hold their breath for 15 seconds or more several times during the scan. This can be difficult, especially for a person already experiencing chest or breathing difficulties. With the speed of CT-64 @ SRC breath holds will be limited to 5 seconds or less. This produces crisp, clearer pictures and is more comfortable for the person being scanned.      

Pediatric Imaging

Because of the speed of the CT-64 @ SRC, shorter exams are better tolerated by children, reducing the need for sedation and radiation to young developing patients.    

Orthopedic imaging

Because of its ability to scan at sub-second speeds with ultra-high resolution, the CT-64 scanner @ SRC allows images of bones and joints to be viewed with specialized computer software as 3-dimensional objects which increases diagnostic accuracy and aids in surgical planning.  

Vascular imaging Faster scan times virtually eliminate pulsation artifacts caused by the heart pulse moving blood through the arteries allowing examinations to be performed with less contrast media and providing a much clearer picture of the blood vessels.   Salem Radiology Consultants, P.C. 2925 Ryan Dr. SE Salem, Oregon 97301 (503) 399. 1262

Digital Imaging Technology

When you have a CT, MRI or Ultrasound study at Salem Radiology, your images will be saved in a digital or electronic format that can be viewed, processed and analyzed on our sophisticated diagnostic computer workstations.

Continuity of Care Between SRC and the Salem Hospital

When you have a scan at Salem Radiology Consultants you can feel confident knowing that the physician radiologist who interpreted your scan will also have the opportunity to read any follow-up studies that may be performed at the Salem Hospital. Having a physician radiologist who is already familiar with your medical and radiologic history can be a tremendous benefit in the continuity of your care.

Because of the relationship that exists between the Salem Hospital and SRC, a private and secure fiber optic network connects both facilities so that your radiology information can be quickly and conveniently transferred between facilities, literally at the speed of light. This connection and type of medical information exchange is unique to SRC and the Salem Hospital and is not offered by any other outpatient imaging facilities in the region.

Because studies performed at either the Salem Hospital or SRC can be retrieved and viewed from either site in a matter of seconds, we always have quick and convenient access to your previous imaging studies that we can use to compare with your new studies to determine if any changes have occurred over time.

By not having to wait for a traditional film based copy of your studies from another facility we can quickly provide you and your doctor with answers that will lead to treatment options that will put you on a path to better health.

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