Appointments: (703) 670-1724 or (540) 659-1800, Ext. 1724
Radiology services available at Potomac Hospital include
The Outpatient Radiology Suite at Potomac Hospital is conveniently located in the Emergency and Ambulatory Services Wing. For patient convenience, the entrance to the suite is located to the left of the information desk in the main lobby.
In the Outpatient Radiology Suite you will also find separate, private Mammography Suite. The private waiting area for mammography patients includes spacious dressing rooms and is adjacent to the examination rooms. For more information about mammography at Potomac, click here.
Potomac Hospital's powerful MRI unit has a comfortable design. The higher power enables patient examinations to be completed more quickly. The magnet itself is lighted and open on both ends. It can accommodate patients up to 400 pounds.
Potomac Hospital's Radiology and Imaging Services has a bone densitometry unit, which is used to diagnose osteoporosis and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. The bone densitometry unit evaluates bone density by examining the bone mineral content in the hip, spine and forearm. Bone densitometry is a simple and painless procedure that takes about 15 minutes. A doctor's prescription is required.
Potomac Hospital is One Of First In Nation To Offer New, Low-Dose Radiation Technology To Detect Heart Disease
Potomac Hospital is one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer Snap Shot Pulse Low Dose Cardiac Imaging as part of coronary CT angiography (CCTA).
CCTA is a new, faster way to diagnose the early stages of heart disease. The Snap Shot feature greatly reduces radiation exposure by as much as 70 percent compared to other techniques.
Using non-invasive CT scan technology, CCTA takes a 3D picture of a beating heart in about five seconds. The digital pictures give doctors excellent image quality. They can quickly evaluate the heart and coronary arteries for plaque, a blockage or heart disease.
CCTA helps doctors determine which patients need medical follow-up and/or surgery. It is appropriate for people who have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease or those who experience chest pain or shortness of breath. Risk factors can include obesity, a family history of heart disease, and high blood pressure or cholesterol levels.
In the past, cardiac catheterization was the only method to diagnose clogged arteries. With cardiac catheterization, an x-ray guided thin tube or catheter is inserted through an artery and advanced into the area of the heart that needs to be examined.
CCTA requires a doctor’s prescription and may not be covered by insurance. Talk to your doctor to learn more about CCTA. For those who need to find a new physician, Potomac Hospital offers a free referral service, Potomac’s Health Connection, at (703) 221-2500 or online at potomachospital.com. To make an appointment call Potomac Hospital at (703) 670-1724.
Digital mammography comes to Potomac
For many years, mammography has been recommended by the American Cancer Society and other health organizations as one of the first lines of defense against breast cancer -- allowing for early diagnosis, and in turn, more effective and successful treatment. Now, new technology has been developed to improve traditional mammograms and is available at Potomac Hospital.
"Potomac Hospital is the first provider in the Woodbridge area to offer digital mammography," says Norbertina Banson, M.D., a radiologist at Potomac Hospital. "We are excited about the benefits associated with digital mammography and pleased to provide this service to our patients.
"According to the National Cancer Institute, traditional film mammography is less sensitive for women who have dense breasts and the film itself is a limitation because it cannot be manipulated and storage is cumbersome. Digital mammography, however, provides an electronic image, which is stored on a computer. It uses less radiation than film mammography, can be stored easily, and can be sent to consulting physicians electronically. Software is also used to help doctors interpret the images. "This reduces the need for follow-up tests," says Banson.
In a recent study called the Digital Mammographic Screening Trial (DMIST), it was found that digital mammography was more accurate in women under the age of 50, women with dense breasts, and premenopausal or perimenopausal women, detecting up to 15 percent more cancers. The trial included more than 50,000 women who received screening mammograms at 33 different sites in the United States and Canada.
According to the DMIST study, "Digital mammography offers other advantages over film mammography - namely, easier access to images and computer-assisted diagnosis; improved means of transmission, retrieval, and storage of images; and the use of a lower average dose of radiation without a compromise in diagnostic accuracy."
Mammography 101
A mammogram is simply an x-ray that is used to detect abnormalities in a woman's breast. A screening mammogram is for women with no symptoms or complaints and is used to find cancer when it's too small to be felt. A diagnostic mammogram is performed when a women experiences symptoms such as a lump, nipple discharge or an abnormal screening mammogram. A diagnostic mammogram is used to take more pictures of and magnify the problem area so that a more thorough evaluation can be made and a treatment plan started.
The National Cancer Society recommends that all women over 40 have an annual mammogram. Women under 40 who are at higher risk for breast cancer because of family history or past breast cancer, should talk to their doctors about earlier mammograms, additional tests or more frequent exams.
For more information on digital mammography at Potomac Hospital, click here.
