Lower Umpqua Hospital Radiology Department provides in-patients and out patients with access to a full range of radiological services, using state of the art equipment and with a skilled technical staff.
The department offers a staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Each of our technologists has earned state licensure as well as national registration in their specific specialties. The combined wealth of experience our technologists bring to our patients is worth nearly 100 years on the job! Our board certified radiologists have years of experience that they bring to each and every imaging exam that they read.
Each technologist is nationally registered with the specialty board that provides guidance in their area of expertise; either the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB). In addition, every technologist is licensed by the State of Oregon, Oregon Board of Medical Imaging (OBMI). Our radiologists are doctors that specialize in radiology and are licensed to practice in the State of Oregon (OBME) as well as being Board Certified in radiology through the American Board of Radiology (ABR). These licensures, certifications and registries help to ensure that our patients receive a professional, high quality imaging examination.
Our Radiology Department specializes in numerous types of imaging, including:
Diagnostic Radiology
X-rays are a type of radiation that is created using large amounts of electricity. X-rays are used in medical imaging much like a camera uses visible light to create an image. X-rays pass through the body and create an image on film based on how many x-rays get absorbed and how many pass through. X-rays can be used to look at different parts of your body like your organs and bones. X-ray exams can show broken bones, pneumonia, cancer and many other illnesses and diseases.
Mammography
Please remember the American Cancer Society now recommends annual mammography screenings for women age 40 and over. This screening can save your life. Please contact your primary care physician before scheduling, as a prescription is required for insurance coverage. Women at high risk should have mammograms more often. The risk of breast cancer increases as a woman ages, if she has never had children, or if she had her first child after age 30. Studies also suggest that the risk may be higher for women who eat high-fat diets and those who smoke cigarettes. If you are not sure how frequently you should have a mammogram, consult your physician.
Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) Scan
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine involves the use of radioactive materials, or isotopes, to obtain specific diagnostic information. These isotopes emit a pattern of rays representing the organ size, shape, and function. The rays are detected by a special camera that is then produced on a computer screen. Information gathered during a nuclear medicine exam is more comprehensive than other imaging procedures because it describes organ function, not just structure. The result is that many diseases and cancers can be diagnosed much earlier.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is imaging that uses sound waves to produce images of organs, vessels and tissues in the body. A small hand-held device called a transducer is placed in contact with the patient’s skin at the area to be studied. The transducer emits high frequency sound waves that humans cannot hear. These sound waves pass through the body and send back echoes as they bounce off organs, vessels and tissues. With the help of computers, the echoes are then converted to an image.
Ultrasounds are safe to use for fetal imaging because they use sound waves instead of radiation. Having an ultrasound when you are pregnant helps to interpret the fetal position, delivery date, gender and multiple babies.
Ultrasounds are being used throughout medicine to help detect breast cysts and gallstones. They are also used to evaluate the liver, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, colon, and urinary bladder for vascular system.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
For more information on the services we provide, contact us at
541-271-2171 ext 5661.