Imaging (previously referred to as Radiology) utilizes some of the most advanced technology available to evaluate bones, joints, organs and systems. These technologies include:

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging),
• CT (CAT Scan),
• DEXA,
• Mammography,
• Ultrasound,
• Fluoroscopy,
• Nuclear Medicine, and
• X-rays

Certified, experienced technicians perform diagnostic procedures which are evaluated by board-certified Radiologists.

Hours
Monday to Friday
7:30 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Phone
(570) 996-1123

Please have your physician orders with you.

Tyler Debuts New 16-Slice CT

A new 16-slice CT is creating shorter exam times and decreased x-ray exposure for patients at Tyler Memorial Hospital, Tunkhannock. The multi-slice technology, recently installed at the Wyoming County hospital, creates clearer, multidimensional images in about one half the time of conventional one-slice machines.

"This machine is especially valuable in trauma or other situations where physicians need to quickly determine the location and extent of an illness or injury", explained Dr. Ian Kellman, chief of radiology. "We can do a whole body scan to identify the problem and begin treatment", he said. "Before, we might have started with an x-ray, then, if more detail was needed, moved to an MRI. Now, what we see is clearer; plus, we can see smaller structures that were difficult to visualize before", he added.

According to Dr. Kellman, the technology allows the radiologist to view multiple planes of the body at the same time. With the previous technology, if more detail was needed, the patient had to be re-scanned. Because more of the body can be scanned at the same time, the patients' exposure to x-rays is also significantly reduced.

Patients who previously were not candidates for CT exam because they had metal in their bodies, such as spinal rods or other devices, may now have CTs that produce clearer images, free of the shadowing and artifacts created by the metal structure.

Tyler Nuclear Medicine Services Enhanced
   
A new gamma camera, used for nuclear medicine studies, was recently purchased by Tyler Memorial Hospital  through a Health Resources and Services Administration grant made possible by Congressman Don Sherwood.

“We are so grateful to Congressman Sherwood for his efforts in making this acquisition possible,” said Thomas J. Dougherty, Tyler chief financial officer. “Technology  is playing an ever-increasing role in healthcare, and this equipment will help us continue to provide the latest diagnostic equipment to our community.”

Nuclear medicine images, according to Mary Ann Place, imaging manager,  assist the radiologist and cardiologist in diagnosing many different conditions and illness. Ms. Place explained that nuclear medicine creates images of body anatomy and body function, and is a subspecialty within the field of radiology, or imaging.

The images are developed based on the detection of energy given off from a radioactive substance given to the patient. The substance is given either by mouth or intravenously, depending on the particular study. “The patient’s exposure to radiation is about the same as what would be experienced during a  standard x-ray,” Ms. Place pointed out. 

Specifically, nuclear medicine can be used to: image blood flow and function of the heart; identify blockage of the gallbladder; evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis;  analyze kidney function;  scan lungs for respiratory and blood-flow; determine the presence or spread of cancer; identify bleeding into the bowel; locate the presence of infection; and measure thyroid function to detect an overactive or underachieve thyroid. The information provided by nuclear medicine examinations is  currently unattainable by using other imaging procedures.   problems;

“There are circumstances when we can use a nuclear medicine study in place of exploratory surgery,” Ms. Place added. “These studies are much less traumatic to the patient and can often pinpoint the location of the problem. Plus, allergic reaction to the nuclear material is very rare,” she said.

Procedures vary in the amount of time a patient needs to be on the table, as does the waiting time between the injection or ingestion of the nuclear material and the actual test.  This is because different organs and body parts absorb the material at different rates. “Sometimes we want to look at how an organ functions over a defined period of time,” Ms. Place explained.  “All these factors influence the nature of the actual procedure.”

After the procedure, a physician with specialized training in nuclear medicine checks the quality of the images to ensure that the diagnostic study has been performed correctly and successfully.

To learn more about imaging services available at Tyler Memorial Hospital, visit the hospital web site at: www.tylerhospital.com, or call the Imaging Department at 996.1123.