Clinics

So your doctor says you need an MRI. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medicalimaging technique that uses strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of organs within a patient’s body.

If this is your first time getting an MRI, there are some things your doctor may not have mentioned that you will probably want to know. Keep these tips in mind so that you will be more mentally and physically prepared. 

1. It’s Loud

Expect loud banging sounds during your MRI. You can bring foam earplugs to help with the noise. 

2. You May Be In Longer Than Scheduled

In some cases, your procedure could go on for longer than expected so make sure you’ve had a bite to eat and used the bathroom beforehand. 

3. Don’t Wear Jewelry

An MRI uses magnetic waves so leave all your jewelry at home. 

4. Don’t Apply Makeup

This goes for lotions, deodorants, sunscreen, or nail polish. These products can contain metal that can interact with MRI magnets. 

5. Anxiety Can Set In

If you suffer from anxiety or claustrophobia, ask the ordering physician if an open MRI is a good alternative. 

6. Let Your Doctor Know About Any Tattoos

Tattoos may have dyes that can heat up in an MRI and cause skin irritation or burning. 

7. You’ll Feel Warm

Because of radio waves, some people do feel a little warmer and their body temperature may go up by a degree, but it is not a cause for concern. 

8. Don’t Move

If you move during the procedure, the images may not produce results and the whole process will have to be restarted.

9. There Is No Radiation

Unlike an X-Ray or CT Scan, an MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves. It will not expose you to radiation. 

At Townsen Memorial Hospital, we use MRIs to diagnose internal problems, as well as to follow up from medical procedures without exposing the patient to the radiation of an X-ray. Depending on each patient and his or her symptoms, MRIs can be a better alternative than other types of imaging, such as CT Scans and X-Rays. We carry the 1.5 Tesla Closed High-Field MRI and the .3 Tesla Open MRI.

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

Early detection can help save lives, particularly when it comes to breast cancer. During a breast cancer screening, your doctor checks your breasts for signs of cancer, such as lumps or changes in the tissue. The most common imaging tests done to check for breast cancer are mammograms and ultrasound of the breast. Women should get annual screenings to ensure nothing has changed or developed that may be a cancer risk. If your doctor finds something unusual that will require another look, e.g., a hard lump, they may send you to get medical imaging done to check whether it is cancerous or benign.

Mammography

A mammogram is a picture of the breasts taken using x-ray imaging. It is one of the most commonly used screening tools to detect breast cancer. In some cases, mammograms allow doctors to detect breast cancer up to three years before a tumor is palpable. A woman with an average risk of breast cancer can benefit from getting mammograms starting at age 40. However, a woman with a higher risk, i.e., has a family history of breast cancer, may want to start screening earlier. It is very important to know your family history so that you can take the best course of action. For instance, if your mother had breast cancer at age 45, your doctor may ask that you start your mammogram screenings ten years prior to her age of diagnosis, which is at 35. 

During a mammogram, your breast rests on a plate while a second plate gets lowered on top of the breast pushing it flat to hold it still while the x-ray machine takes the image. The radiology technician performing the test will capture images from the front and the side, taking four pictures total, two of each breast. Depending on your level of sensitivity, while the procedure may be a little uncomfortable, it should not be painful and should be done pretty quickly.

A disadvantage of a mammogram is that some women can have dense breast tissue, which makes it hard to find tumors because they both appear white on the images. In that case, an ultrasound is usually ordered alongside the mammogram. 

There are many factors that affect whether mammography is able to detect breast cancer:

• The age and weight of the patient.
• The size and type of tumor.
• Where the tumor has formed in the breast.
• How sensitive the breast tissue is to hormones.
• How dense the breast tissue is.
• The timing of the mammography within the woman’s menstrual cycle.
• The quality of the mammogram picture.
• The skill of the radiologist in reading the mammogram.

Breast Ultrasound

A breast ultrasound, or sonogram, uses sound waves to create a picture of the inside of the body. It does not use radiation so it is generally safe for those who need to avoid x-rays, such as pregnant women. A breast ultrasound can be helpful to your radiologist if they had trouble seeing your mammogram images due to dense breast tissue.

During an ultrasound, your technician will hold a wand, known as a transducer, over the breasts throughout the imaging test. The transducer sends sound waves that bounce off the breast tissue, traveling back to the transducer and creating an image.

Is One Better Than The Other?

Your doctor is very likely to order both tests as there are several notable differences between the two: 

1. The imaging modality 
2. The quality of the images produced
3. The reasons for the imaging

A breast ultrasound alone is not currently a recommended screening tool for breast cancer, because it can miss many early signs of a tumor. However, some patients might be better candidates for an ultrasound as opposed to a mammogram. Pregnant women, for instance, should usually avoid having x-rays performed unless the imaging is essential. A breast ultrasound might also be a better option for younger women, particularly those in their 20s.

Whether an ultrasound or mammogram is the right option for you depends on your needs and your doctor’s recommendations.

Townsen Memorial Hospital’s Imaging Center in Humble is now open! From Ultrasounds to Mammograms, we offer a wide variety of services operated by skilled medical professionals to provide patients with the best in imaging and patient care. We not only have technological advancements, but we also have a medical team that is always going to put you first. 

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

Ultrasound can be used for numerous reasons, from examining a fetus to diagnosing pain, swelling, and infection in the body. It can also be a helpful guide forbiopsies or assess any damage after a heart attack. Ultrasound is non-invasive and does not use any radiation.

How Does An Ultrasound Work?

An ultrasound is an examination that uses sound waves to create an image. The image the ultrasound creates is called a sonogram. Ultrasound is a safe imaging method used to see tissue. Sound waves from the probe penetrate the skin, bounce off structures, and return to the probe and CPU. The computer then translates the data and produces an image. Various body tissues conduct sound differently, and some tissues absorb sound waves while others reflect them. The density of the tissue dictates the speed at which the echoes return.

Learning The Colors

Fluid is always black, and tissue is gray. The denser the tissue, the brighter white it will appear. In ultrasound, any bone is bright white. The more that the waves can penetrate something, the darker it appears on the image. Therefore, amniotic fluid and blood will look black on a sonogram. Tissue appears in shades of gray because the sound waves can only penetrate a certain amount.

Image Orientation

Have you ever had an ultrasound done and wondered what you were looking at? First, when looking at a sonogram, start at the top of the image and work your way down. The top is where the probe rests, and the image that you see shows what the organs and tissues look like from the side. For instance, if you were looking at a sonogram of a uterus, the further down the sonogram image you look, you will see the deeper tissues towards the back.

Townsen Memorial Imaging Center in Humble opened its doors in October, making it the third imaging location throughout the Houston area. Townsen offers a wide variety of services operated by skilled medical professionals to provide patients with the best in imaging and patient care. We not only have technological advancements, but we also have a medical team that is always going to put you first.

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

When it comes to your health, taking a proactive approach by taking preventative measures can give you the best quality of life. Preventative screenings can detect issues early on which gives you the best chance at treatment. Far too many Americans are dying from preventable diseases that can almost always be treated if found early. With the medical advancements today, we all have the ability to achieve more successful outcomes than ever before. 

Lung CT

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US. The survival rate for lung cancer is 12% and has not changed in 40 years. However, if detected at stage I, the survival rate is 70-80%. Lung CT screening provides more detailed information than conventional X-rays making it possible to diagnose and manage lung cancer earlier and more effectively. Detection of cancers when they are much smaller are far more easily treated or cured. This test takes less than 15 minutes and requires no preparation.

Who should have this exam?

• History of smoking
• Family history of lung cancer
• Occupational exposure (Shipyard, military, asbestos, coal miners)
• Unexplained cough or fever
• As a substitute for annual chest x-ray after age 35
• History of unexplained, recurrent pneumonias
• History of multiple x-rays as a child, including multiple scoliosis surveys
• Previous history of any cancer

Virtual Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the US and almost always begins with an abnormal growth, or polyp. If polyps are detected and removed before they become malignant, this deadly cancer may be escaped. Although the effectiveness of traditional colonoscopy for preventing and detecting colorectal cancer is unquestioned, many avoid them because of its invasiveness. Virtual colonoscopy is done with a CT scan and is non-invasive, quick, requires no sedation, allows patients to return to work, and is less expensive. It is also more comfortable and much faster than the traditional colonoscopy. The risks and the recovery from virtual colonoscopy are also much lower. Studies have shown this procedure was found to be just as effective, if not more effective than the traditional colonoscopy.

This test takes approximately 30 minutes and requires a preparation 48 hours prior to the exam. CO2 is placed in the colon through a small tube during the procedure so that it will evaporate and not expel.

Who should have this exam?

• Family history of colon cancer
• Family or patient history of polyps
• Those who prefer to not have a regular colonoscopy
• Men or women over age 45 with prior normal colonoscopy
• Change in bowel habits
• Blood in stool
• Unexplained weight loss or change in appetite
• Wellness screening every 5 years after age 40
• Previous history of any cancer
• History of multiple x-rays as a child, including multiple sclerosis

Breast Mammogram And Breast MRI

The survival rate of breast cancer directly correlates with the size of the cancer. The smaller the tumor, the greater the chance of survival. Finding cancer earlier can ultimately mean the difference between life and death. If you are an average risk patient, it is important to start getting annual mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history, it is recommended to start annual screenings 10 years before your first-degree relative had breast cancer.

Breast MRI is a highly sensitive tool for creating dynamic, three-dimensional images of breast tissue. It is a valuable tool in the assessment of dense breasts when used as an adjunct to traditional breast imaging modalities. A physician’s prescription is necessary for this test.

Who should have this exam?

• Inconclusive mammogram
• Breast or chest pain with inconclusive mammogram or ultrasound
• Evaluation of breast implants for possible rupture or to exclude cancer
• High risk breast patients under the age of 45
• Any patient with small dense breasts

Full Body MRI

This exam is used to evaluate the soft tissues of the body. Since tumors and inflammation produce an increased amount of water and swelling, an MRI searches for areas of abnormal water accumulation and swelling throughout the entire body. Specialized brain sequences can be used to detect early dementia, like Alzheimer’s disease. Special sequences can also be added to evaluate high-risk areas including the bile duct, liver, pancreas, uterus, ovaries, prostate gland, and testicles. MRIs involve no radiation and are good for detecting soft tissue cancers at an early stage. A physician’s prescription is necessary for this test.

This exam takes approximately 1 hour, depending on the required views. It requires administration of one Bentyl tablet the night before the exam and one on the day of the exam. The patient must also fast 6 hours prior to the exam.

Who should have this exam?

• History of neurological problems, such as atypical headache or family history of aneurysm
• Family history of stroke
• Any risk factor favoring early detection of cancer of the brain, bladder, liver, pancreas, prostate, gallbladder, bile ducts, liver, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, or neck
• Joint or extremity problems or unexplained pain
• Wellness evaluation, especially in patients under 50
• Unexplained weight loss, malaise, fatigue
• Previous history of cancer

Cardiac Score

This exam is a CT scan of the chest that measures calcium in the coronary arteries. The score that is generated helps to determine the patient’s cardiovascular risk when combined with the traditional cardiac risk factors. Coronary calcium scoring is highly predictive of obstructive coronary artery disease. This test takes less than 15 minutes and requires no preparation.

Who should have this exam? Those 40 years old or over with increased risk for heart disease from:

• Family history of heart disease, particularly with family members with the onset of heart disease before the age of 50
• Smoking
• Elevated total or LDL cholesterol, decreased HDL cholesterol
• Elevated C-reactive protein
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High stress job
• Unexplained chest discomfort
• Previous history of heart disease
• Premature menopause
• Abnormal lipoprotein A
• Sedentary lifestyle

Schedule Your Preventative Screenings Today. 

Townsen Memorial Hospital Is Here For You

At Townsen Memorial, safe, effective, and affordable care is our top priority. Therefore, we strive to provide the best patient experience across all Townsen Memorial affiliated sites. The high-quality care starts at our Emergency Room and carries on through our Imaging Centers, Surgery Centers, and up through our Townsen Memorial Hospital. Our medical sites are located in Houston, TX, and the surrounding areas, to provide the best care to patients in and around Harris County. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-877-494-9487.

Resources

1. MIF, You’re Covered! The 4 Preventative Scans Worth Scheduling, accessed 12/20/2021 https://mifimaging.com/2018/10/24/youre-covered-the-4-preventative-scans-worth-scheduling/

2. ProScan, Preventative Screenings, accessed 12/20/2021 https://proscan.com/services-our-specialties/preventative-screenings/

The devastation of Hurricane Harvey left Humble Surgical Hospital under one and a half feet of water in the Fall of 2017. After nearly one year of renovations Humble Surgical Hospital has reopened as Townsen Memorial Hospital under new ownership and leadership, with It also comes the launch of its two new additional clinics and a 24/7 Emergency Room.

Houston, TX, August 2019 - After remodeling the hospital in 2018, Townsen Memorial Hospital has continued to grow, with the addition of two new clinics and an emergency room. The clinics boast new facilities, up to date medical technology, and highly regarded physicians and surgeons.

Among these distinguished medical professionals are Dr. Clifton Thomas, MD who is regarded as “Houston’s most beloved bariatric surgeon” as well as Dr. Mary Ann Spires, DC voted as one of Houston’s Top Doctors.

The newly established clinics can offer consultations to new patients, conservative treatments as well as surgical procedures ranging from Neurosurgery to Plastic Surgery. Townsen Memorial Clinics has recruited names such as Dr. Mark Khorsandi, MD – one of the few surgeons in Texas trained in migraine, hand, and microsurgery; Dr. Ronald Buczek, DO who specializes in plastic surgery as well as hand surgery and microvascular surgery; and Dr. Paul Kobza, MD a well established shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist surgeon.

Delicate surgeries like spinal and neurosurgery are also within the scope of the medical talent at Townsen Memorial Clinics. Dr. Kenneth J.H. Lee, MD  specializes in minimally invasive spinal surgery as does Dr. Gregory J. Elders, MD who has over 20 years of experience and completed his residency at the Highly Regarded Texas Back Institute. Also on the Townsen Memorial Clinics staff is Dr. Teodulo, MD  an anesthesiology specialist who has been practicing for more than 26 years and was previously the Chief of Neuro-anesthesiology at Memorial Herman Hospital. Dr. Aves also specializes in pain management, founding an organization for spinal pain management.

Besides surgical intervention, Townsen Memorial Clinics offer chiropractic, physical therapy, and wellness. Patient forms for new patients can be found on their website and filled out prior to your appointment, promising less time spent in a waiting room.

These three new facilities are a display of the growth Townsen Memorial Hospital has made since the remodeling and reopening after its facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. The damages done by the hurricane totaled approximately $7 million dollars.  Townsen Memorial aims to continue expanding their services, opening additional clinics and emergency room locations, in the coming years.

When managing our health, one of the first questions we often face is, “what type of doctor do I need?” Houston residents are fortunate to access many healthcare options, from primary care physicians to specialized practitioners. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of doctors available in Houston, shedding light on primary care, specialty care, and urgent care physicians.

Primary Care Physicians In Houston

Houston hospitals are crucial in providing primary care services through their network of skilled professionals. Primary care doctors are patients’ first point of contact, addressing general health concerns and providing preventive care. Whether you’re due for a routine check-up or managing a chronic condition, finding a reliable primary care physician in Houston is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Houston Doctors For Specialized Care

In certain situations, the expertise of a specialist is essential. Houston boasts a diverse range of specialists who cater to specific medical needs. If you face a particular health issue, seeking a specialist ensures you receive targeted and comprehensive care. From cardiologists to orthopedic surgeons, the city’s medical landscape is rich with options for those needing specialized attention.

The Role Of Urgent Care Doctors In Houston

Medical emergencies sometimes adhere to regular office hours. Urgent care doctors step in to bridge the gap for situations that require immediate attention but fall short of actual emergencies. These facilities provide prompt medical assistance for minor injuries, infections, or other non-life-threatening conditions. Houston doctors in urgent care settings offer a timely and convenient alternative to emergency room visits.

Townsen Memorial: Your Comprehensive Healthcare Solution In Houston

Townsen Memorial stands out as a beacon of comprehensive care when considering health care options in the Houston area. This healthcare institution goes beyond the traditional hospital setting, offering a range of services to meet the diverse needs of Houston residents.

Townsen Memorial Health System: A hub of excellence, Townsen Memorial is equipped to handle various medical issues. With state-of-the-art facilities and a team of skilled professionals, patients can trust that their health is in capable hands.

Emergency Room Services: Quick and efficient care is paramount in critical situations. Townsen Memorial’s emergency room is staffed with experienced emergency medicine physicians, ensuring that urgent medical needs are addressed promptly.

Imaging Centers: Accurate diagnostics are a crucial aspect of adequate healthcare. Townsen Memorial's imaging centers utilize cutting-edge technology to provide precise and timely diagnostic services, aiding in identifying and treating various medical conditions.

Surgery Centers: When surgical intervention is necessary, Townsen Memorial’s surgery centers offer a range of specialized procedures. Skilled surgeons and modern facilities contribute to successful outcomes for patients needing surgical care.

Navigating the vast landscape of healthcare options in Houston can be challenging, but understanding the roles of primary care, specialty care, and urgent care doctors is a great place to start. Townsen Memorial's extensive range of services across Houston is a valuable resource for those seeking reliable and comprehensive healthcare solutions. Whether you need routine check-ups, specialized treatments, or immediate care, Houston doctors at Townsen Memorial are here to support you on your journey to better health.