Common Imaging Questions

Find answers to frequently asked questions that patients have when preparing for an SSM Health imaging exam, such as an MRI or CT Scan. If you have a question that is not listed here, please contact your physician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all. You have to lie still on a padded table for few minutes, as the table slides slowly into the MRI machine. Depending on the test you’re having, you may also need an injection or intravenous (IV) drip of “dye” or some other contrast material. In either of these cases, you’ll feel a small needle stick.

When you schedule your exam, our team will ask your height and weight to determine which location can accommodate your body habitus.

No. If you have a pacemaker or spinal stimulator, notify your doctor and you can be scheduled for an alternative exam that is pacemaker-friendly.

Certain types of CTs may require you to drink contrast prior to the exam. You will be notified of this upon scheduling your exam.

MRI contrast solution is completely different from X-ray contrast solution. Most patients will have zero reaction to MRI contrast solution.

We have a lot of experience helping patients with their anxieties. We’ll do everything we can to make your experience stress-free. We’ll visit with you the whole time. We can even play music (radio, CDs, tapes) if you like. Or we’ll give you ear plugs if you like. We’ll even give you an emergency call button, so you can easily stop your test (if it comes to that). You may also with to speak with your physician about your options. With the largest network of open and large-opening MRIs in the area, SSM Health has the resources to provide you with a convenient, comfortable imaging experience. Your physician also may choose to prescribe you a medication to ease your claustrophobia. This must be arranged through your physician and cannot be provided by our technologists.

X-ray films, mammograms, nuclear medicine and CT scans use radiant energy to produce images of your body. The information they produce can be critical in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases and conditions.

This radiant energy is a form of radiation (X-rays or gamma rays). Exposure in extremely high or repeated doses is a potential risk for developing cancer. Most imaging exams result in very small exposure to radiation.

SSM Health Imaging Services ensures the right exam for the right indication with the appropriate and safest technique. We also use the minimum and safest amount of radiation necessary to achieve there best image quality. This includes ensuring that the imaging exam is done correctly the first time to avoid repeat testing. Continual investment in newer and faster imaging technology reduces exam times for improved patient experience and decreased radiation exposure.

Keep in mind that ultrasound imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide an alternate means to produce images and answer your doctor's needs. Recommendations by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and American College of Radiology are driving important changes to imaging practices across the country. These changes are to the gonadal and fetal shielding practices that most are accustomed to seeing in imaging settings. Shielding will no longer be required or used unless requested by the patient.

Learn more about safe radiation dosing at imagewisely.org, imagegently.org and radiologyinfo.org.

Why aren’t we using shielding?

  • Modern X-ray equipment uses a lot less radiation than equipment used in the past.
  • If the shielding moves or blocks the area of interest, the imaging is not useful.
  • The gonads (ovaries and testes) have proven to be much less sensitive to radiation than previously thought.
  • Shielding does not reduce the radiation dose to the patient from X-rays that bounce around inside the body (internal scatter).

Can I still request to be shielded?

  • Yes. If you request shielding, we will honor your request, if it is possible to do so without compromising the exam. Please note, we may have to repeat imaging, if shielding blocks the area of interest.

SSM Health MyChart offers patients personalized and secure online access to portions of their medical records. It allows for patients to communicate with their doctor, request prescription refills, manage appointments, and view test results. To register for this free platform, go to SSM Health MyChart.

SSM Health is committed to the full quality of your care from initial exam through treatment and follow up. In some locations, a timely turnaround of your results may be delivered to patients who have an SSM Health MyChart account. Because your doctor is best equipped to answer your questions and address possible concerns, there is greater benefit from communicating directly with your doctor about your results. This helps eliminate unnecessary worries, and ensures that, when needed, a plan of action can be immediately put into effect.

To request an imaging CD of your scan, please contact the ministry where the imaging service was done. Find a list locations for Imaging Services.

Most radiologic exams result in minimal and safe exposure to radiation. SSM Health is committed to reducing your exposure by eliminating unnecessary imaging exams and ensuring tests are done properly the first time to avoid repeat testing. Newer, faster CT imaging technology can reduce your exposure by reducing the time of your exam and using each X-ray beam far more efficiently to create the image. It should be noted that MRI and ultrasound technology do not use X-ray-type radiation. Learn more at imagewisely.org and imagegently.org.

As an ACR (American College of Radiology) accredited institution, SSM Health is voluntarily reviewed by board-certified radiologists and medical physicists, who are experts in the field of imaging, and found to meet nationally accepted, high practice standards. As an ACR-accredited institution, our team meets or exceeds quality assurance and safety guidelines.

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