Imaging

Our new state of the art 3T Vida scanner with BioMatrix technology automatically adjusts to you to deliver an MRI that is precise, comfortable, and fast.

Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scan) combines a series of X-ray views taken from many different angles and computer processing to create cross-sectional images of the bones and soft tissues inside the body. Saint Mary’s now offers a 64 slice CT scanner. The GE 660 is the latest in its class and is twice as fast as the typical 64 slice scanner. For precise guidance when performing biopsies and drainages we offer CT guided interventions.

In our vascular ultrasound area we obtain real-time images of arteries and veins in the body to assess blood flow and abnormalities. We can evaluate blood flow to the arms, legs, brain, and kidneys. We also perform detailed mapping of the veins contributing to varicosities and lower extremity wounds.

We offer state of the art cardiac ultrasound technology to support Saint Mary’s Structural Heart program. With this latest technology we can capture the anatomy and structure of the heart prior to cardiac interventions including TAVR and Mitraclip.

At our downtown campus we have two GE discovery dual head gamma cameras with advanced software applications that are much faster and provide significantly improved image resolution. At the Center For Health, a dedicated triple headed gamma camera for cardiac imaging has been installed.

Our combined PET/CT scans provide images that pinpoint the anatomic location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. The combined scans have been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately as in PET/CT fusion.

Saint Mary’s now offers the area’s first FDA approved whole breast ultrasound system for women who have dense breast tissue. The Invenia ABUS can provide additional information when used in conjunction with mammography.

ABUS is covered by most insurances

In seeking a more compassionate and precise approach to breast cancer tumor localization, Saint Mary’s Health Network has adopted the SAVI SCOUT® wire-free radar localization system for breast conserving surgeries. Previously surgeons relied on placement of a wire into the tumor adding additional time, inconvience, and discomfort on the day of surgery. SAVI SCOUT® is a new efficient and precise approach to localization and surgical guidance and helps surgeons remove cancerous tissue with greater confidence.

Prior to SCOUT, the most common approach for localizing breast tumors was wire localization. With wire localization, a radiologist would place a thin, hooked wire through the skin to the tumor location. The surgeon would then use the wire to locate the tumor. This procedure would be done on the day of surgery and because the time between the wire placement and surgery can be several hours, this added procedure can be the cause of added worry and discomfort.

The SCOUT® wire-free radar localization system is a clinically proven, FDA cleared, zero-radiation approach to targeting tumors and breast lesions. SCOUT uses a unique radar signal to detect a reflector, the size of a grain of rice, that can be placed at the tumor site at any time during the course of treatment and at the patients’ convenience. During the procedure, the surgeon scans the breast using the SCOUT guide to precisely and efficiently locate the reflector to within 1mm of accuracy.

The ability to precisely locate tumors increases the probability of complete cancer removal and reduces the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries – a huge advantage for early-state breast cancer patients. In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may result in better cosmetic outcomes.

SCOUT is also uniquely suited for marking tumors and lymph nodes prior to neoadjuvant therapy because the SCOUT reflector does not interfere with imaging studies that are needed after treatment to see if the tumor has shrunk.