Women's Imaging Center
5875 Bremo Road
South Medical Office Building, Suite 105
Richmond, Virginia 23226
Call (804) 627-5660

• Digital Mammogram
• DXA Scans-Bone Density Testing
• Breast Ultrasound

Bon Secours Imaging Center Reynolds Crossing
6605 West Broad Street
Suite B - Ground Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23230
Call (804) 287-3500
Fax (804) 285-1405

• CT
• MRI
• X-Ray (walk-in available)
• Ultrasound
• DEXA scans (bone densitometry)
• Digital Mammography

Laburnum Diagnostic Imaging Center
4630 S. Laburnum Avenue, Suite C
Richmond, Virginia 23231
Call (804) 627-5660

• Mammography
• Ultrasound

Memorial Regional Medical Center
8260 Atlee Road
Mechanicsville, Virginia 23116
Call (804) 627-5660

• Diagnostic radiology
• Musculoskeletal radiology
• pediatric imaging
• CT
• Ultrasound
• MRI
• Mammogram
• Angiography
• Nuclear Medicine

Richmond Community Hospital
1500 North 28th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23223
Call (804) 627-5660

• CT
• MRI
• Nuclear Medicine
• Ultrasound
• Mammography
• General Radiology
• Fluoroscopy and PET/CT '04

St. Francis Imaging Center
8013 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, Virginia 23235
Call (804) 330-4600
For Scheduling, Call (804) 627-5660

• Hitachi Open-Sided MRI
• CT Scan
• Digital Mammography
• Ultrasound
• X-Ray
• DEXA / Bone Density

St. Mary's Hospital Radiology and Diagnosic Imaging
5801 Bremo Road
Ground Floor of Main Hospital
Richmond, Virginia 23226
Call (804) 627-5660

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computerized Tomography (CT)
• DXA Scan/Bone Scan for Osteoporosis
• Ultrasound
• Angiography
• Musculoskeletal Radiology
• Gastrointestinal Radiology
• Video Capsule Endoscopy
• PET/CT scanner
• Mammography/Digital Mammography
• Interventional Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• X-ray

MRI, CT, Ultrasound, Mammography and Bone Densitometry should all be scheduled by calling an imaging center near you. For all imaging and diagnostic tests, please call 627-5660 for appointments.

In most cases, all procedures can be scheduled for the same or next day. Plain x-rays do not need to be scheduled. All tests require a written order from your physician. Depending upon your insurance, the test may require a referral authorization number from your insurance company prior to the exam.

Please arrive at least thirty minutes before your appointment time. If you cannot make your appointment, notify us as soon as possible so that we can reschedule. 24 hours notice is greatly appreciated.

An on-site, board certified Radiologist will review your images and interpret your examination. Then a preliminary report is either faxed or called to your doctor the same day the test is performed. The Radiologist will then dictate a report with his/her interpretation and the written report will be sent to the ordering physician.

Your physician's office will let you know how to obtain the results. If your physician requests a copy of the film, the imaging center where you had your exam will forward a copy to your physician's office, or the patient can wait for a copy of the film after the procedure is completed and take it to the doctor's office.

We recognize that people want to know the results of tests as soon as possible, which is why we make every effort to process results as promptly and accurately as possible.

Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. The only way to determine if you have osteoporosis before you suffer a fracture is to have a bone scan. Bone density testing can measure the amount of bone in different parts of the skeleton and can predict the risk of future fractures and monitor changes in bone mineral density due to medical conditions or therapy.

There are different testing techniques to predict the future fracture risk; however, not all techniques measure bone mineral density in the fracture prone hip or wrist. Bon Secours imaging centers use an advanced technology called DXA (short for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) to safely, accurately and painlessly measure bone mineral density.

What to Expect
During a comprehensive DXA examination, the patient lies still on a padded table while the DXA unit scans two or more areas, usually the fracture-prone hip and spine. This unit not only detects osteoporosis, but also measures its severity so your doctor can develop the best treatment plan for you.

Unlike typical x-ray machines, radiation exposure during DXA is extremely low. The entire process takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on the number of sites scanned. It involves no injections or invasive procedures and patients remain fully clothed.

Preparing for Bone Density Testing
Unless instructed otherwise, eat normally on the day of the exam, but avoid taking calcium supplements for at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. Please bring a list of medications you are currently taking. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Sweat suits and other casual attire without zippers, buttons, grommets or any metal are preferred. You should not have a barium study, radioisotope injection, oral or intravenous contrast material from a CT scan or MRI within seven days prior to a DXA test.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your DXA exam, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

CT Scan, or Computed Tomography, is basically a 3-D x-ray. It's a safe, painless exam that produces a series of computerized images of anatomy and bone structure that are useful in detecting many medical conditions that do not appear on traditional x-rays.

What to Expect
Similar in appearance to an MRI scanner, the donut-shaped CT scanner houses an x-ray tube that moves rapidly around a specific anatomical area sending signals to a computer. The computer reconstructs these signals to form a complete image of your internal anatomy. During your CT exam you will be asked to lie very still and quiet on a padded table for 10- 45 minutes.

If your CT exam requires the use of a contrast agent, your technologist may start an I.V. and you may be given a contrast agent to drink prior to coming to your appointment. These colorless contrast agents are visible to the computer and allow greatly enhanced CT images.

Preparing for a CT
If you have ever had a previous allergic reaction to a contrast agent, or have multiple allergies or suffer from asthma, it is very important that you notify us prior to your visit. If you're having a CT of the brain or head, you may not eat or drink in the four hours prior to your appointment.

In the case of an abdominal or pelvic CT scan, you may not eat or drink four hours prior to your study. You may be given a contrast agent to drink prior to the study that will help outline the intestinal tract in the image. We even try to make the agent tasty with flavors like banana milkshake.For your convenience, you may pick the contrast agent up in advance at the imaging center where you've made your appointment, or you'll need to arrive one to two hours ahead of your scheduled appointment time to drink the contrast. You can continue taking your daily medications prior to your exam.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your CT scan, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your CT scan, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

We are improving this page to provide you with the most recent information on our services. In the meantime please call 359-WELL if you have specific questions.

Mammography uses a low-dose x-ray system and high-contrast, high-resolution film for breast examination. Successful treatment of breast cancer depends on early diagnosis and mammography plays a central part in early detection. It can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. The FDA says that mammography can detect 85-90% of breast cancers in women over 50.

Current guidelines from the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend that women have annual mammograms starting at age 40. Those who've had breast cancer, have a family history of the disease or had breast abnormalities may be prescribed yearly exams prior to age 40.

What to Expect
Mammograms at our imaging centers are performed with state-of-the-art technology and conducted with sensitivity and discretion by a registered female radiologic technologist. Our breast imaging centers offer Screening Mammograms and Diagnostic Mammograms and your healthcare provider will specify which one on the prescription you bring with you. If further breast evaluation is necessary, we also offer breast ultrasound.

Screening Mammogram This is for patients who have no abnormal breast symptoms. It takes about 15 minutes and involves taking two views of each breast. A radiologist is not present during this exam and results are sent to your physician the following day.

Diagnostic Mammogram This is a problem solving exam for patients who have abnormal breast symptoms or had a Screening Mammogram which recommended additional studies. It is prescribed by the patient's referring physician and is always done under the consultation of an attending radiologist. It takes about 30 minutes.

Digital Mammogram It not only offers a high imaging qualities, it offers radiologists the ability to zoom in, magnify and optimize different parts of the breast tissue film. This means you don't have to have additional images taken in the event they need a "close-up" of a particular area. If you wish to have a digital mammogram, please call 359-WELL to be directed to the center with this technology.

Preparing for a Mammogram
Wear a two-piece outfit, no deodorants, powders, ointments or creams since they can obscure the image. If you commonly experience breast tenderness during your period, schedule your mammogram 7 to 10 days after that time. It's very important that you let our technologist know if you have breast implants prior to your mammogram.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your mammogram exam, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

MRA provides detailed images of blood vessels. MRA has found wide use in checking patients for abnormal arteries in the head and other areas, so that only those with positive findings will need to have a more invasive catheter study. The test experience for a MRA is not much different than having an MRI since the same machine is used.

We are improving this page to provide you with the most recent information on our services. In the meantime please call 359-WELL if you have specific questions.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a diagnostic procedure that enables your physician to look inside your body without exploratory surgery. MRI does not involve x-rays, is safe and painless and utilizes magnet and radio waves to transmit clear internal pictures of precise areas of your body.

Images can be made from many angles, called slices, to provide valuable diagnostic information. MRI is used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinical evaluation of brain disorders, knee and shoulder injuries, cardiac malfunctions, spine diseases, eye abnormalities, tumor detection and more.

For those who have claustrophobia, we have the new Hitachi Altaire™ MRI. This high-field performance magnetic resonance system is available at St. Francis Imaging Center and features an open-air design that does not compromise its imaging capabilities. In fact, it offers the highest resolution images available in the healthcare market today.

What to Expect
The MRI exam requires you to lie very still on a table that moves into a scanner housing a large magnet. During the procedure you communicate with your technologist by intercom. He or she will explain the various noises you'll hear. The procedure may last 30-60 minutes, depending on the number and types of images needed. In some examinations, your physician may request the administration of Gadolinium or a contrast dye, both used to facilitate specific MRI images.

Preparing for an MRI
Your MRI exam requires a prescription from your doctor but no special preparation or eating restrictions. (Except for patients requiring sedation.) You will, however, be asked to provide us with certain information before your exam, including a list of past surgical procedures. It is important we know if you have any of the following: a pacemaker, metal implants, aneurysm clips, surgical staples, bullet wounds or shrapnel, implanted drug infusion devices or permanent eyeliner. It is also important that you tell us of any occupational exposure to metal you have had, such as welding, metal grinding and so on.

Continue taking your daily medications before your exam and wear loose, comfortable clothing for your appointment. Do not wear jewelry, particularly watches, as it is not permitted in the MRI room.

Nuclear Medicine is a specialized area of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive substances, called tracers, to examine organ function and structure and to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. Nuclear medicine determines the cause of the medical problem based on the function of the organ, tissue or bone. This is how nuclear medicine differs from an x-ray, ultrasound or other diagnostic test, which determines the presence of disease based on structural appearance.

What to Expect
Nuclear medicine procedures are safe and painless. In a nuclear medicine test, the radioactive material is introduced into the body by injection, swallowing, or inhalation. Different tracers are used to study different parts of the body. A waiting period is normally required after the radioactive substance has been administered and varies depending on the time required for the body to absorb the particular substance. Typical wait times range anywhere from 15 minutes to four hours.

The amount of tracer used is carefully selected to provide the least amount of radiation exposure to the patient but ensure an accurate test. A special camera (scintillation or gamma camera) is used to take pictures of your body. The camera does this by detecting the tracer in the organ, bone or tissue being imaged and then records this information on a computer screen or on film. The actual scanning process takes between 30 to 60 minutes to complete. The camera does not emit any radiation. It receives the radiation from the substance administered to the patient.

Preparing for a Nuclear Medicine Scan
In most cases, no advanced preparation is required prior to the procedure. If preparation is required, your physician will advise you or you will receive instructions at the time the procedure is scheduled.

Generally, nuclear medicine tests are not recommended for pregnant women because unborn babies have a greater sensitivity to radiation than children or adults. If you are pregnant or think that you are pregnant, your doctor may order a different type of diagnostic test.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your nuclear medicine exam, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

Bon Secours Richmond is the first in the area to purchase this high-end technology. Now available, it is a mobile service, rotated between multiple sites on a schedule. The super-fast 16-slice CT shows anatomy with greater clarity, while the PET examines metabolic function. Combining these enhanced images provides a 3-D image and more information about a patient's condition, enabling doctors to make more informed treatment decisions. It offers critical information used in treating conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

It also provides more accurate tumor detection and localization for a variety of cancers, including breast, esophageal, cervical, melanoma, lymphoma, lung, colorectal, head and neck, and ovarian cancer. A PET/CT image also provides early detection of the recurrence of cancer, revealing tumors that may otherwise be obscured by the scarring that results from surgery and radiation therapy, particularly in the head and neck. For cardiac care, the PET/CT provides physicians with unparalleled images of the heart and its valves. For more information on our PET/CT scanner, call 359-WELL.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to create still or video images of soft tissue areas of the body.

What to Expect
An Ultrasound gel is applied to the skin over the area to be viewed to help sound waves pass through the body. As the technologist glides the probe, called a transducer, over the skin, a series of pictures are taken. Once the pictures are taken, the radiologist comes into the room to watch the computer monitor as the technologist again scans the body part. The exam usually lasts less than thirty minutes, and is painless and harmless.

Preparing for an Ultrasound
Abdomen Ultrasound. This exam includes the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, aorta, right and left kidney, and the spleen. The patient should not eat or drink anything 8 hours prior to the exam.

Breast Ultrasound. No preparation required.

Renal Ultrasound. This exam includes both of the kidneys, the bladder and the aorta. The patient should have a full bladder at the time of the exam.

Pediatric Renal or Pelvis Ultrasound. Newborn to 2 Years: Encourage fluids the day of exam. Water may be given up to exam time, but no formula or food 3 hours prior to exam. If the child is an infant, please bring a full bottle of formula or a bottle of expressed breast milk. It may be needed during the exam. For children 2-18 Years, encourage fluids the day of the exam. If your child is toilet trained, do not allow the child to void for at least one hour before the study so that the bladder will be full.

Pediatric Abdomen, Head or Hip Ultrasound. Newborn to 2 Years: No food or drink 3 hours prior to exam. If the child is an infant, please bring a full bottle of formula or expressed breast milk. It may be needed during the exam. For children 3-18 Years there should be no food or drink 6 hours before the exam.

Pelvis Ultrasound (Non-obstetric). Includes the uterus and ovaries. The patient must drink 32 - 40 ounces of fluid one hour prior to the exam time. The patient cannot void once they start drinking the fluid.

Abdomen/Pelvis Ultrasound (Non-obstetric). The patient must not eat or drink anything 8 hours prior to the exam and must drink 32-40 ounces of water one hour prior to exam time. The patient cannot void once they start drinking the water.

Obstetric Ultrasound. If first trimester, refer to pelvis preparation. If second or third trimester, patient must drink 24 ounces of fluid one half hour prior to the exam time and not void once they have begun drinking the fluid.

Venous Doppler. No preparation required.

If you have any questions regarding the preparation instructions for your ultrasound exam, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

Video Capsule Endoscopy is a fancy name for a capsule containing a miniature camera that takes pictures of the lining of the small intestine. It is an internal imaging system that helps nail down an accurate diagnosis and helps determine the best approach for resolving complex digestive problems. It can detect polyps, cancer and sources of bleeding in the small intestine that current tests cannot always find.

How it works
You swallow the small capsule containing the camera. As the capsule is digested, it passes through your small intestine while the camera snaps pictures twice every second. This tiny technology sends signals to a data recorder worn on a belt around your waist. You wear the recorder for about eight hours as you go about your daily activities. The images stored on the data recorder can then be downloaded to a computer for viewing by a physician.

The only noticeable feeling will be that of the recorder on your belt. The capsule with the camera inside is eventually excreted naturally, without your feeling anything unusual.

Preparing for Video Capsule Endoscopy
You will receive accurate preparation instructions the day before the examination. An empty stomach allows optimal viewing conditions, so you should have nothing to eat or drink, including water, for approximately ten hours before the examination. Your doctor will tell you when to start fasting. Tell your doctor in advance about any medications you take; you might need to adjust your usual dose for the examination. Tell your doctor of the presence of a pacemaker, previous abdominal surgery, swallowing problem or previous history of obstructions in the bowel. You will be able to eat after four hours following the capsule ingestion unless your doctor instructs otherwise.

If you have any questions regarding video capsule endoscopy, or where they are offered please call 359-WELL.

An x-ray image is produced when a small amount of radiation passes through the body and strikes a sheet of sensitive film placed on the other side of the body. The ability of x-rays to penetrate tissues and bones varies according to the tissue's composition and mass. Bone, which contains calcium, does not let much radiation through and results in white images on the x-ray film. The lungs, which are filled with air, allow nearly all x-rays to strike the film resulting in a black film image. Chest x-rays are the most common radiologic exam.

Preparing for an X-Ray General Radiology (X-ray) is offered on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary. A written order from your doctor is required. Generally, for plain x-rays, there is no preparation. If you are pregnant or nursing you'll need to notify your technician.

Depending on the area of your body to be x-rayed, you may need to change into a gown upon arrival. When you have an x-ray, it usually requires at least two views of the body part to be taken. Occasionally, multiple views are taken. Therefore, the process can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions regarding which Bon Secours facilities offer x-ray services, please call 359-WELL.