Imaging services

A CT scan uses powerful computers and rotating X-ray machines to create cross-sectional images of the body. CT scans offer extremely accurate results, allowing for swift diagnosis and treatment.

64-slice CT scan

With the 64-slice CT scanner, our hospital provides access to cutting-edge technology in imaging to support cardiovascular health. The scanner has the ability to provide a comprehensive view of the heart and coronary arteries within seconds. This can eliminate the need for more invasive cardiac catheterization.

Lung cancer screening program

Northwest Hospital is committed to raising awareness and improving access to lung cancer screening. Our experts in thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pathology and radiology collaborate through our multidisciplinary lung cancer screening program to assist with early detection and treatment of lung cancer.

If you meet the screening criteria, your physician may refer you for a low-dose CT. The CT scan will be read by a board-certified radiologist with results sent to the referring physicians.

If follow-up care is needed, our dedicated program coordinator will facilitate the appropriate diagnostic and screening exams and keep your referring physician informed along the way. If a lung cancer diagnosis is confirmed, our coordinator will work with our lung cancer navigator through our relationship with Sarah Cannon transition you to receive specialized oncology services. The nurse navigator specializes in cancer and will be a member of your care team, helping to coordinate care, address barriers, and provide support as needed.

Your physician may refer you for a low-dose CT if you:

• Have a 20 pack-year or more smoking history
• Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years
• Are between 50 and 80 years old

Additional risk factors include:

• Family history of lung cancer
• Personal history of chronic lung disease
• Personal history of cancer, or jobs that expose you to arsenic, nickel, asbestos, beryllium, soot, cadmium, diesel fumes, chromium, or coal dust

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Persistent cough
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pains
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Pneumonia
• Wheezing
• Hoarseness
• Weight loss or loss of appetite

The benefits of lung cancer screening at our hospital include:

• Eliminating the need for medical tests, such as biopsies
• Using a lower dose of radiation than traditional screening
• Being more precise because it can detect small, abnormal spots that an X-ray can’t pick up

To learn more about our program, you can contact our program coordinator at (954) 727-4809.

Interventional radiologists are able to use minimally invasive (an incision no larger than two inches) techniques. They combine these with other imaging approaches to gain in-depth insight into your body.

We offer a full range of interventional services, including:

• Biliary interventions
• Dialysis graft maintenance
• Lower extremity angiography
• Vascular access
• Vertebroplasty

MRI obtains clear, detailed pictures of the inside of the human body without the use of X-rays, surgery or biopsy. MRI scans are painless for you and offer high-quality images of internal structures that allow physicians and technicians to provide accurate diagnoses.

Our mammography services are accredited by the American College of Radiology and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Mammography is used to diagnose breast cancer and breast tissue anomalies, such as tumors and other breast diseases. Our imaging department uses digital mammography for enhanced image quality and procedure accuracy to support your breast health.

Northwest Hospital now offers 3D digital mammography (also known as digital breast tomosynthesis), advanced imaging technology with computer aided detection (CAD). 3D digital mammography has expanded our ability to detect breast cancer earlier in more women.

We have a long tradition of excellence in nuclear medicine imaging. Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive materials to closely examine organ function.

Ultrasound imaging produces pictures of soft tissues in the body. It uses high-frequency sound waves that reflect back as echoes when they reach solid surfaces. Ultrasounds play an important role in patient screening and vascular disease follow up.