The Radiology and Nuclear Medicine departments perform almost 100,000 exams or tests per year.
The communities of Brantford and Brant County have helped support the department's move towards digital imaging bringing the Brant Community Healthcare System to the forefront of Digital Imaging services.
Imaging services are also provided at The Willett in Paris on the main floor beside Urgent Care. Please inquire with the reception desk.
The imaging department at Brantford General Hospital is located on Level 1, D Wing.
Types of Imaging and Preparing for Your Exam
Cardiac Diagnostic (ECG)
For information on how to prepare for your ECG click here.
Computerized Tomography (CT)
For information on how to prepare for your CT exam click here.
CT scans obtain cross sectional images of body parts that are a series of special x-ray pictures of a region of the body arranged as a set of image "slices". The image slices are obtained from the top to the bottom of the region of interest and each slice contains information about the organs at the level of that slice. Together, the whole set of image slices that are obtained provide a detailed view of the organs in the scanned region.
The CT scan machine takes images using x-rays. The patient lies on the CT table and is moved into the CT gantry. This part of the machine contains an x-ray tube and x-ray detectors that spin rapidly around the patient taking x-ray measurements. The measurements are fed into a specialized computer that assembles the measurement data into a series of CT pictures. The images are viewed as a series of standard two-dimensional (2D) pictures. When required, the image data can be used to construct 3D pictures of the bogy region that has been examined.
CT Equipment
CT scans provide highly detailed images of every region of the body and are are most commonly used to examine the brain, chest, abdomen/pelvis and back. Scans of any other body region can also be obtained. CT is useful to evaluate the body for signs of infection, masses, trauma, degenerative changes etc. Often, CT scanning is the only way this information can be obtained. CT is often used to provide directional guidance for interventional procedures such as biopsies and drainage of abnormal fluid collections. CT examinations sometimes require the use of injected contrast material (x-ray dye).
Echocardiogram
For information on how to prepare for your echocardiogram click here.
Electromyogram (EMG)
For information on how to prepare for your electromyogram click here.
Mammography & Ontario Breast Screening Program
For information on how to prepare for your mammogram click here.
Mammography is a specialized x-ray study used to evaluate the breasts for disease. Mammograms are performed for both diagnostic and screening purposes. Diagnostic mammograms are performed to evaluate the breast(s) when an abnormality is detected by some other means. A common example would involve performing a mammogram when physical examination has detected a lump in the breast. Screening mammograms are performed in female patients without significant clinical findings as a means of early cancer detection. Screening mammograms are performed on a routine basis every two years, unless otherwise specified.
Regardless of why a mammogram is being performed, the exam is usually performed in a standard fashion:
The patient is asked to take off all upper body clothing. A hospital gown is put on.
The technologist will position the breast.
A plastic paddle ("compression" paddle) is positioned on the opposite side of the breast and applies firm pressure to the breast to flatten it and firmly hold it in place.
Two images of each breast are obtained in different positions.
Depending upon the clinical indications for the exam, extra views of one or both breasts may be required.
Mammography Equipment
Mammography requires strict attention to technique and high quality equipment in good working condition in order to obtain diagnostically satisfactory images.
Quality assurance certification programs are maintained to help insure that mammography facilities meet acceptable standards of care.
The mammography facility at The Brantford General Hospital has been accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
For information on how to prepare for your MRI click here.
MRI is used to image a wide variety of disorders in all regions of the body. It has been most commonly used for imaging of the brain, spine and musculoskeletal systems but is also currently being used to image the organs of the chest and abdomen with increasing frequency.
Rather than using x-rays, MRI units use magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images. There is no radiation involved. Some exams require the use of injected contrast material. This is specially designed for MRI use and is not the same as x-ray contrast.
The production of MRI images is highly complicated. MRI images are produced primarily by manipulating protons (sub-atomic particles) in water and fatty tissues of the body. A very basic illustration of this follows:
Nuclear Medicine
For information on how to prepare for your nuclear medicine study click here.
Nuclear Medicine at the Brant Community Healthcare System features state-of-the-art equipment and experienced and qualified staff. Test results from examinations completed at the Brant Community Healthcare System have been reviewed by independent examiners from the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine and were found to be of excellent quality.
Unlike x-ray examinations, studies in nuclear medicine are performed by administering slightly radioactive materials to a patient and then imaging with a camera that detects the emissions. The camera does not give off radiation.
Although most studies involve the intravenous injection of the material, some studies use an injection in the skin or spinal canal. There are even examinations that have a radioactive label in food that is then eaten. The material administered in these tests localizes within the patient and is used to measure the function of a particular organ system. In many instances, observing the changes in the function of an organ is a very sensitive way to detect a disease process.
In general, nuclear medicine studies provide a low dose of radiation and side effects and allergies to the materials are extremely rare.
Ultrasound
For information on how to prepare for your ultrasound click here.
Ultrasound images are produced by sound waves.
A scanning probe is passed over the area of the body that is being examined. The probe sends sound waves into the body and then "listens" for echoes reflected back from body structures. An ultrasound image is produced from these detected echoes based upon their intensity and time taken by them to return to the probe.
In order to perform an ultrasound exam, a watery gel must be placed on the skin over the area that is to be examined. This gel is necessary to use in order for the ultrasound signals to pass easily to and from the probe. The gel also assists in allowing the probe to be smoothly passed over the area of interest.
X-ray examinations are the most common studies performed by diagnostic imaging departments. X-rays are a form of ionizing radiation that can pass through most tissues of the body to some degree. This allows them to be used to produce images of body parts.
Regardless of the body part being examined, x-ray studies are performed in a similar manner:
An x-ray tube produces x-rays when a stream of electrons are directed at a special metal target in the tube.
The x-rays are directed out of the tube to the body part being examined
The x-rays pass through the body part to varying degrees depending upon the density of the tissues.
The x-rays that have passed through the body part are received by a "detector" to produce an x-ray image. Digital x-ray detectors do not use film.
The discovery of x-rays revolutionized the diagnosis of disease. Prior to x-ray there was no way to visualize diseased body parts short of resorting to surgery. Modern x-ray equipment produces high quality images using a minimum of radiation dose. Like any other imaging technique, x-ray has it's limitations and is not appropriate for all situations.
Common types of x ray studies include:
Chest x-rays
Abdominal x-rays
Skeletal, joint x-rays
X-Ray equipment
X-ray studies are used to look for pneumonia, tumors, arthritis, fractures etc. depending upon the body part being examined. Specialized x-ray studies include mammography, barium studies, intravenous pyelography, myelography etc.
Frequently Asked Imaging Questions
General
What are the hours of operation for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (Brantford General Site)?
Procedures that require a booked appointment are performed between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. General walk-in x-ray procedures not requiring a booked appointment can be performed weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and weekends/holidays between 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nuclear Medicine studies always require a booked appointment and are performed during regular daytime working hours.
How do I make an appointment?
A doctor's referral is required for any Diagnostic Imaging procedure. If your doctor has ordered an examination that requires a booked appointment and you have a requisition from the doctor's office for the study, you can call the Radiology department yourself to arrange an appointment time. Appointments are not given for examinations that do not require pre-booking such as regular x-ray studies (chest x-ray, back x-rays etc.). For these types of studies, simply come to the department with your requisition from the doctor when convenient.
Where do I go to have my exam done (where do I register?)?
All patients should report to the main Information desk in the Radiology (X-Ray) department to register when they arrive for their exams. This applies to both Radiology and Nuclear Medicine patients.
Will my examination be performed on time?
The department makes every effort to insure that examinations are performed on time. It is however impossible to predict when emergencies will arise particularly in a hospital setting. We understand that delays are annoying but these are sometimes unavoidable when critically ill patients need to be accommodated on a priority basis. Please bear with us.
Some patients arrived after me but were taken in for their exams first. Why?
Some patients arrive at the department for booked appointments (i.e.: Ultrasound) while others arrive for non-booked procedures (i.e.: Chest X-Ray) on a first come first served basis. This accounts for why a patient who arrived after you (for a different procedure than you) might be taken in first.
How will my doctor get the results of my exam?
After your procedure is completed, the images are interpreted by the medical staff who work in the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine departments and a dictated report of your exam is sent to your physician. If the report concerns an urgent matter, the report is given immediately by telephone or fax.
Computed Tomography (CT)
What preparation is required for the exam?
The preparation required varies according to the type of exam that has been ordered. Some exams require the injection of x-ray contrast material (x-ray "dye") while others will require that you drink contrast material as well to outline the stomach and bowel. This material is taken on the day of and/or the night before the exam. You will be given preparation instructions for the exam by the radiology department or your doctor's office prior to the exam.
How long does the examination take?
The time required for the exam is variable depending upon the complexity of the exam that is required. Some exams will require some extra preparations prior to scanning such as commencing an I.V. line. In general, patients should plan on spending at least one half hour in the department and possibly longer.
Is CT scanning painful?
No.
Will the CT staff inform me of the results?
No. The results of the exam will be given to the doctor(s) who are treating you.
Mammography / Ontario Breast Screening Programs
What preparations are required for a mammogram?
Please do not use a deodorant on the day of your exam. Wash off any traces of deodorant that may be present prior to arriving for the exam. Do not use any underarm powder or talc on the day of the exam. All of these products can create produce false mammographic findings that can interfere with evaluation of your exam.
Why does the breast need to be compressed for a mammogram?
The x-ray technique used for mammography is intolerant of wide variations in the thickness of breast tissues. Good quality images can only be obtained if the breast is compressed to a uniform thickness. Compression also helps to reduce the x-ray dose required for the exam. Compression of the breast is uncomfortable but necessary to perform the exam.
What does it mean if I am asked to return for additional views?
Sometimes the standard views obtained of the breasts are not sufficient to fully evaluate them. Factors such as positioning of the breasts, density of the breast tissue and unintentional artifacts on the films can lead to a requirement for more views. Additional views are sometimes required to determine if a questionable finding on the original views is of significance. More often than not it isn't.
When will my doctor have the report of my mammogram?
Most mammograms are reported on the day that they are performed but not all. If prior comparison studies need to be obtained from another facility, or additional views or breast ultrasound needs to be performed to complete the evaluation, the report of the exam may be delayed to varying degrees. This is preferable to issuing reports rapidly that may be inaccurate or incomplete.
How often should screening mammograms be performed?
It is presently advised that all women over the age of fifty have a screening mammogram bi-annually.
Does mammography find all breast cancers?
Unfortunately, no. Like any other radiological study, mammography is not perfect. Between 4 and 8 percent of breast cancers are not detected by mammography for a variety of reasons.
X-Ray
What preparations are required for x-ray studies?
In many cases, none. The radiology department will inform you of any preparations if there are any.
How safe are x-ray studies?
Modern x-ray equipment produces images using very small radiation doses. The risk of exposure to medical x-rays over the course of an average lifetime is generally felt to be clinically insignificant. Female patients should inform the technologist if there is any possibility that they may be pregnant before any x-rays are taken.
What preparation is required for a barium study?
Your doctor's office will usually provide you with preparation instructions for these exams at the time they are booked. If you are not given instructions, contact the Radiology department at B.G.H. for them. Make sure you are aware of and follow the preparation instructions for the exam your doctor has ordered. If you arrive for one of these exams without preparation it will often have to be cancelled and re-booked.
How long do special x-ray studies (barium studies etc.) take to perform?
This varies with the exam. Upper G.I. exams of the esophagus and stomach are often completed in 10 to 15 minutes. Barium enema exams may take 30 to 45 minutes to finish. Examinations of the small bowel require unpredictable amounts of time. Some patients are finished in two hours' time while others will need to have pictures taken at varying intervals throughout the day. Myelogram exams are often completed in 30 minutes but patients are required to remain in hospital for several hours afterward for observation.
X-Ray dye (contrast)
What is x-ray "dye" (contrast)?
X-Ray contrast material is a liquid compound containing iodine that is frequently used as a part of a large number of different x-ray procedures. X-ray contrast is visible by x-ray and is used to provide visibility of different body tissues that are otherwise difficult or impossible to see by regular x-ray.
How is it used?
Different types of exams require that contrast be administered in different ways. Most commonly, contrast is given by injection into an arm vein. Sometimes it is injected into arteries through a catheter or into joints or placed into the bladder or elsewhere in some fashion depending upon what the exam demands.
Is it safe?
Contrast reactions are allergic reactions that occasionally occur as with any medication. The rate of serious or fatal reaction is approximately 1 in 100,000 injections. Minor reactions such as hives, sneezing, wheezing are more common (1 in 2,000 to 5,000) but are usually mild and temporary. Minor side effects of contrast usually involve a sensation of body warmth, urge to urinate and a funny taste or smell. These side effects are common and of no significance. They resolve quickly, are not dangerous and usually last less than half a minute. Side effects are not the same as allergic reactions.
Who is at risk for a reaction?
Those at higher risk involve patients with a previous history of contrast allergy, severe asthma and, possibly, allergy to shellfish (controversial). Contrast reactions are unpredictable and it cannot be stated with certainty as to whether a patient will have a reaction or not. Diabetic patients taking Metformin should inform the staff of this as contrast can temporarily worsen kidney function in such patients. There are some steps that can be taken to minimize this side effect.
Overall, contrast is safe in the vast majority of patients. By comparison 1 in 1,000 people have a serious allergy to aspirin or penicillin
What happens if I have a reaction to contrast?
Medications are kept in the department to deal with contrast reactions. If need be, patients can be quickly transported to the Emergency department for additional treatment.
Imaging at The Willett
The Radiology Department provides a number of diagnostic services to outpatients.
Please contact The WIllett at 519-442-2251 with questions about services.
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