Tag Archives: Center for Diagnostic Imaging

The Center for Diagnostic Imaging is the premier diagnostic facility in North Miami Beach, committed to providing the best in digital imaging and patient care.

CDI Miami | Tuesday June 24, 2014

Ultrasound vs. CT Scans

Ultrasound and CT Scan (Computed Tomography) are two of the most widely used medical imaging techniques. The techniques use different principles to generate an image for diagnostic purposes.

For diagnosing head and neck ailments, tests that use radiation are always less desirable than those that don’t. CT uses significant radiation and MRI a lower amount, but ultrasound is a non-invasive, non-radiating technique. It does not require injection of radioactive contrast material and has no side effects. Two issues associated with CT scans are the frequent repetition of scans – increasing radiation exposure, and the high cost of the CT scan compared to the ultrasound. While the ultrasound take more time and are usually not used for bony structures. Instead they are used for internal organs of the body.

A major advantage of CT is that it is able to image bone, soft tissue and blood vessels all at the same time, as well as provide good details about bony structures. Recent studies confirm that ultrasound imaging can contribute to accurate diagnosis and patient safety while reducing the costs of healthcare at the same time.

Although ultrasound is not the investigation of choice for every neck pathology, it is adequate for diagnosis and assessment of treatment options for most of these conditions. Ultrasound can not only locate a lesion, it can provide information about its size, consistency, and relation to other organs, as well as other features.

The basic principle and advantage behind a CT scan relies on the reconstruction of a 3D image of an organ, by a computer, after acquiring multiple X-ray images of it. These images are obtained by passing multiple beams of X-rays through the region of interest at different angles.

CDI, the Center For Diagnostic Imaging in Miami, offers Ultrasound and CT Scan options at their various locations: Aventura, North Miami beach and South Dade.

Please call 1 (800) 371.0002 or visit http://www.cdimiami.com/

CDI Miami | Monday March 3, 2014

Osteoporosis Assessment and Prevention

Osteoporosis is a common problem that causes bones to become abnormally thin, weakened, and easily fractured. Fortunately, preventative treatments are available that can help to maintain or increase bone density. For those already affected by osteoporosis, prompt diagnosis of bone loss and assessment of fracture risk are essential because therapies are available that can slow further loss of bone or increase bone density.

Bone is a living tissue, comprised mainly of calcium and protein. Healthy bone is always being remodeled; that is, small amounts are being absorbed into the body and small amounts are being replaced. If more bone calcium is absorbed than is replaced, the density or the mass of the bone is reduced. The bone becomes progressively weaker, increasing the risk that it may break.

Although bone loss will occur in all persons as they age, the rate of progression and the effects bone loss has on the body can be modified with proper early diagnosis and treatment. The professionals at the Center for Diagnostic Imaging and the Comprehensive Breast Care Centers are expanding their solutions to address the continuum of skeletal health care, by offering more options in skeletal health imaging. By using MRI scan, CTA scan, and PET CT scans, the Miami Center for Diagnostic Imaging is raising its standards in osteoporosis assessment.

There are also certain at-home measures that can be taken to prevent osteoporosis. No one is ever too young or too old to begin improving bone health. There are three factors that are essential for keeping bones healthy throughout life: adequate amounts of calcium, adequate amounts of vitamin D, and regular exercise.

Men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 need around one thousand milligrams of calcium per day. Men and women over the age of 50 need around 1,200 milligrams. Low-fat and skim milk, non-fat yogurt, and reduced-fat cheeses are healthy sources of the calcium needed to build strong bones. Fish products, canned sardines, and salmon, eaten with their bones, are also calcium-rich. Soy products help to maintain bone density. And leafy green vegetables, like kale, bok choy, and broccoli, not only have calcium, but also have the potassium and vitamin K needed to block calcium loss from bones.

Don’t overdo protein. High protein intake can raise the bodily excretion of calcium. Around 50 grams of protein should be the daily limit for women; and around 63 grams for men. Also, try to limit caffeine intake to the equivalent of no more than three cups of coffee a day, since caffeine also causes the body to excrete calcium more readily.

Vitamin D is a necessary ingredient the body uses to absorb calcium. Vitamin D is most easily acquired through sunlight, but certain food products, like fortified milk products; have the vitamin D needed for proper calcium absorption. Fish with lots of oils in them, such as mackerel, are also rich in vitamin D. For those who cannot get enough calcium or vitamin D in the daily diet, supplements are a good idea.

Exercise is important because it can help build strong bones and slow down bone loss. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or weight lifting, keep bones healthy by working the muscles and bones against gravity.

The bones and joints provide stability and mobility, the freedom to move, and the strength to perform. Just like the rest of the body, they should be taken care of daily. The trained professionals at the Center for Diagnostic Imaging and the Comprehensive Breast Care Centers use the most advanced tools to provide patients with the very best chances of detecting and assessing osteoporosis.

CDI Miami | Tuesday February 18, 2014

Preventative Scanning for a Continued Healthy Lifestyle

Advocates promote a full body scan as a smart part of a routine physical exam. Full body scanning is a non-invasive, painless procedure that uses low-dose X-rays to screen the body for various diseases of the major organs; taking an average of around ten to thirty minutes to perform.  Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic, imaging procedure using these X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of the body. These scans produce images representing “slices” of the body. Each image slice corresponds to a wafer-thin section which can be viewed to reveal body structures in great detail. CT scans are a valuable diagnostic tool, able to detect some conditions that conventional X-rays cannot. The Center for Diagnostic Imaging in North Miami Beach is a premier diagnostic facility, providing patients with the best digital imaging and patient care, as well as preventive care through full body scans.

Preventative scans have become recognized as a valuable medical tool for the early diagnosis of disease, trauma, or abnormality and for planning, guiding, and monitoring therapy. Its use is virtually unlimited; it covers: the heart and arteries, identifying near microscopic amounts of plaque; the lungs at the air cell level showing the earliest stages of smoke damage, emphysema or lung cancer; the spine, evaluating for osteoporosis, disc disease and other back problems; internal organs for detection of tumors, stones and cysts of all sizes; aneurysms in the abdominal and chest cavities; thyroid and parathyroid disease; joint disease; uterine, ovarian, and prostate disease.

Full body scanning can detect heart, lung, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and prostate and ovarian disease, as well as tumors, aneurysms, osteoporosis, hernias, and kidney and gall stones. This study can provide both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional images of all types of tissue, allowing for more accurate detection of various cancers and diseases before symptoms occur.

Full body screening is a useful preventative tool. Heart and lung diseases are responsible for over half of all deaths in the United States alone each year. Most of these cancers progress slowly over time causing no immediate symptoms for the patient. As a result, patients aren’t diagnosed until after the cancer has already developed. The National Cancer Institute estimates that up to 35% of cancer deaths could be avoided through preventative screening.

Full body scanning is recommended for anyone over the age of 45, as well as for patients who smoke, have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.  Full body scanning should be used as a complimentary to regular checkups with a patient’s physician.

The professional staff at the Center for Diagnostic Imaging believes that disease prevention is the first step toward a healthy lifestyle. Each component of the total body scan has been carefully selected to screen for all common diseases and more. The medical imaging experts focus on providing patients with the latest advances in medical technology while continuing in their commitment to provide outstanding patient care.