ultrasound

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.

Welcome to the final installment of our blog series about the advanced medical imaging technologies that are available across the Townsen Memorial Health System. If you like, you can read Part 1 and Part 2 first. In this concluding entry, we shift our focus to three essential imaging technologies: ultrasound, EMG (Electromyography), and ECHO (Echocardiography). These cutting-edge diagnostic tools are integral components of our comprehensive healthcare offerings at Townsen Memorial Health System.

Ultrasound Machines

Ultrasound machines use sound waves to produce images of the inside of the body. They are good for a variety of diagnostic procedures, including:

Pregnancy Monitoring: Ultrasound is commonly used during pregnancy to monitor the growth and development of the fetus, assess fetal anatomy, and detect any abnormalities.

Abdominal Imaging: Ultrasound can visualize organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, and bladder. It is used to diagnose conditions such as gallstones, kidney stones, liver tumors, and abdominal masses.

Pelvic Imaging: Ultrasound can assess the reproductive organs in both men and women, including the uterus, ovaries, and prostate gland. It is used to diagnose conditions such as ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and prostate enlargement.

Vascular Imaging: Ultrasound can visualize blood flow in the arteries and veins, helping to diagnose conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, arterial blockages, and aneurysms.

Musculoskeletal Imaging: Ultrasound can assess soft tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It is used to diagnose conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, muscle tears, and joint inflammation.

Overall, ultrasound machines are versatile diagnostic tools that provide real-time imaging of the body's internal structures without the use of ionizing radiation. They are safe, non-invasive, and widely used in medical practice for a variety of diagnostic purposes.

Ultrasound Machines are available at all Townsen Imaging Centers.

EMG Machines

EMG (Electromyography) machines are used to measure the electrical activity of muscles and the nerves that control them. These machines are used for several diagnostic procedures, such as:

Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS): In addition to EMG, many EMG machines also perform nerve conduction studies. NCS measure the speed and strength of electrical signals as they travel along the nerves. They are used to diagnose conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, and nerve injuries.

Muscle Disorders: EMG can diagnose various muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, and myopathies. It can assess muscle function, detect abnormalities in muscle activation patterns, and differentiate between primary muscle disorders and nerve-related conditions.

Peripheral Neuropathy: EMG can evaluate the function of peripheral nerves and diagnose peripheral neuropathies, which are conditions that affect the peripheral nervous system. It can help determine the location and severity of nerve damage and guide treatment decisions.

Spinal Cord Disorders: EMG can assess the function of nerves in the spinal cord and diagnose conditions such as spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and radiculopathy (nerve root compression). It can localize the site of nerve compression or injury and differentiate between spinal cord disorders and peripheral nerve disorders.

Overall, EMG machines are valuable diagnostic tools for evaluating neuromuscular function and diagnosing a wide range of conditions affecting the muscles and nerves. They provide valuable information that helps healthcare providers develop treatment plans and monitor the progression of neuromuscular disorders.

EMG Machines are available at all Townsen Imaging Centers.

Echocardiography Machines

Echocardiography (ECHO) machines use ultrasound technology to create images of the heart and its surrounding structures. ECHO machines are a for several diagnostic procedures, including:

Assessment of Cardiac Function: Echocardiography is used to assess the overall function of the heart, including its pumping ability (ejection fraction), chamber sizes, wall thickness, and overall cardiac performance. It helps diagnose conditions such as heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Valvular Heart Disease: Echocardiography can evaluate the structure and function of the heart valves, including the mitral valve, aortic valve, tricuspid valve, and pulmonary valve. It helps diagnose conditions such as valve regurgitation (leakage) or stenosis (narrowing) and assess the severity of valve disease.

Congenital Heart Defects: Echocardiography is used to diagnose and assess congenital heart defects, which are structural abnormalities present at birth. It helps evaluate the anatomy and function of the heart and guides treatment decisions for conditions such as atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

Cardiac Masses and Tumors: Echocardiography can detect the presence of abnormal masses or tumors in the heart, such as atrial myxomas or cardiac tumors. It helps assess the size, location, and characteristics of these masses and guides treatment planning.

Overall, echocardiography is a valuable diagnostic tool for evaluating cardiac structure and function, guiding treatment decisions, and monitoring the progression of heart disease. It is safe, non-invasive, and widely used in medical practice for patients of all ages.

ECHO machines are available at all Townsen Imaging Centers.

Find The Latest Medical Technology at Townsen Memorial Imaging Centers

Thank you for joining us as we explored the capabilities, applications, and significance of medical imaging in providing accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans. As new medical imaging technologies emerge in the future, you can be sure that Townsen Memorial Health System will be among the first to use them to empower our healthcare providers to deliver exceptional care. Be sure to keep an eye out for our new locations as Townsen Memorial Health System expands to put excellent individualized care within reach of even more people. For any questions or inquiries, contact us here.