Diagnostic Imaging

Persistent headaches that can’t be explained, pain or trauma caused by a fall or accident, or abdominal pain that doesn’t go away all are reasons your physician may send you for a diagnostic imaging exam. With the remarkable ability to see under your skin and into your organs, diagnostic imaging provides answers to medical questions previously only understood through exploratory surgery.

We offer diagnostic imaging services at 85 locations throughout Northern California, ensuring that your exam can be performed on the full range of medical imaging equipment by a certified radiologic technologist close to home. Your images will be interpreted by a highly skilled radiologist, stored in our enterprise electronic health record system, and available to you and your physician.

Depending on your condition and medical question, the exam may be performed at one of our hospital radiology departments, outpatient imaging centers, or centers of care excellence on state-of-the-art technology, including multi-detector CT and 3T MRI. (Find out why we no longer use lead shielding for radiation-based exams, such as X-rays and CT scans.) Here are some of the services we provide.

Computed Tomography (CT)

A CT scan is an X-ray-based procedure in which multiple "slices" of data are acquired of the body part being imaged as you lie on a table and are advanced into a donut-shaped machine. Sutter's imaging locations use ultra-fast, advanced, multi-slice CT, enabling the delivery of the lowest possible radiation dose. Common uses of CT include the detection of tumors, infections, internal bleeding and trauma, blood vessel blockages (CT angiogram) and colon cancer (CT colonoscopy).

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI uses a strong magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce images of great detail. MRI is used to image many parts of the body, including tissues and organs. Because radiation is not required, MRI may be used in place of CT and other imaging modalities in children and pregnant women. Sutter locations offer a wide range of scanners, including wide-bore MRI for patients who become anxious in close spaces.

Ultrasound

Also called sonography, ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation to produce images of your organs, blood vessels and other structures within your body. A small amount of gel is placed on the skin and a wand called a transducer is pressed against the area being examined. The wand emits sound waves that are processed into pictures by a computer. Ultrasound often is used to distinguish breast cancer from cysts, diagnose abdominal pain and liver disease, detect kidney stones and blockages in the veins and arteries, and guide biopsies.

Vascular and Venous Imaging

Doppler ultrasound measures the direction and speed of blood as it moves through vessels, enabling the detection of clots, blockages and venous insufficiency. CT and MR angiography are used to diagnose peripheral artery disease, the narrowing or hardening of arteries in the legs and arms. This exam usually requires the injection of a contrast agent which allows the radiologists to better observe the blood as it moves through your limbs.

X-ray and Fluoroscopy

X-rays can be taken as single frame pictures or moving pictures to see an internal organ in action, called fluoroscopy. Both X-ray and fluoroscopy machines use a small amount of radiation to acquire the images, commonly used to diagnose fractures, chest congestion and blockages in the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.

Pediatric Imaging

Pediatric radiologists in the Sutter Health network are specially trained in the anatomy and needs of children. Because children are smaller, still growing and more vulnerable to radiation, we follow the Imaging Gently guidelines to ensure that your child receives the lowest possible radiation dose if they need CT, X-ray, fluoroscopy or a nuclear medicine procedure. When possible, we substitute a different study, such as ultrasound or MRI, that does not entail exposure to radiation.

Our children's hospital locations feature child-friendly settings, with toys, bright colors and technologists who understand the fears and concerns of your child. Conscious sedation may be administered if necessary under a doctor’s supervision, so that your child remains awake but relaxed during the exam.

Contrast Extravasation

Contrast extravasation is a rare problem that occurs when contrast dye leaks into the tissue around the vein where the IV was placed for a CT or MRI scan.