Adams Diagnostic Imaging has partnered with Siemens Healthcare, a world leader in diagnostic imaging equipment, to provide our patients and referring providers with the highest quality images possible. Advances in modern equipment allow our scanners to virtually remove metal objects, such as joint replacements, to give your doctors a clear picture of surrounding anatomy, even where other scanners cannot.

Patient comfort is also an important factor in the quality of a scan and Adams Diagnostic delivers there as well. Our wide bore MRI boasts one of the largest table areas on the market to give our patients a more open, comfortable experience and allows us to accommodate patients up to 500 pounds.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that produces very clear images of the human body without the use of radiation and is widely considered one of the safest imaging modalities.

One common misconception about MRI is that if you have any medical devices inside your body, you cannot get an MRI.  While that is true is some cases, many medical manufacturers design their equipment to be MRI safe.

Patients with the following medical devices can be safely examined with MRI:

• Surgical clips or sutures
• Artificial joints
• Staples
• Most cardiac valve replacements
• Disconnected medication pumps
• Vena cava filters (after 6 weeks for certain types)
• Most brain shunt tubes for hydrocephalus
• Metal stents

Some conditions may make MRI examination inadvisable. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:

• Heart pacemaker
• Cerebral aneurysm clip (metal clip on a blood vessel in the brain)
• Pregnancy
• Implanted insulin pump (for treatment of diabetes), narcotics pump (for pain medication), or implanted nerve stimulators (“TENS”) for back pain
• Metal in the eye or eye socket
• Cochlear (ear) implant for hearing impairment
• Weight of more than 500 pounds
• Inability to lie on back for 15 to 40 minutes
• Claustrophobia (fear of closed or narrow spaces). Please note: if this condition applies to you, some patients may be candidates for medication that will help if prior arrangements have been made.

Allow an hour for your MRI exam but in most cases, the procedure takes 20 to 45 minutes, during which several dozen images will be obtained.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT:

 Before the exam:

Personal items such as your watch, wallet, including any credit cards with magnetic strips, and jewelry should be left at home if possible, or removed prior to the MRI scan. Secured lockers are available to store personal possessions and your technologist will verify all unsafe objects are removed prior to entering the room.  Your technologist will go over the screening questions with you and answer any questions you have prior to entering the MRI scan room.

During the exam:

As the MRI scan begins, you will hear the equipment making a muffled thumping sound that will last for several minutes. Other than the sound, you should experience no unusual sensations during the scanning.

Certain MRI exams require an injection of a contrast material called gadolinium which help your health care provider identify certain anatomic structures on the scan images.  Your technologist will discuss the details with you at the time of your test, but in general there are no side effects or changes in the way your body feels.

After the exam:

Generally, you can resume your usual activities and normal diet immediately.

The results of your MRI should be available to your physician within 24 hours after your test.

If you have any questions regarding an upcoming MRI scan, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 717-337-5991 to speak directly to the technologist who will be helping you.

PET/CT

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) uses radiation to detect, localize and quantify cancer inside the human body.  PET scans are the most reliable, effective method for the evaluation of metastatic disease and help oncologists with the initial staging of cancers as well as to evaluate disease response for various treatment plans.  When oncologists and patients need accurate, fast answers there is no more powerful tool than a PET scan.

X-Ray

X-ray is most commonly known for determining whether or not a bone is fractured, however, you may also be sent for an x-ray to check for various other conditions such as pneumonia, arthritis, bowel obstruction or scoliosis. Depending on your condition or complaint an x-ray may be the first step in the imaging process where as sometimes it will be followed with a CT scan or MRI.

Radiology

Adams Diagnostic Imaging is accredited through the American College of Radiology (ACR) and is conveniently located inside the Gettysburg Cancer Center. Our highly trained technologists are certified through the ARRT with comprehensive experience and knowledge in radiology. Our facility provides flexible scheduling to better accommodate patients by offering longer time slots.