Treatment & Services

From outpatient imaging to in-hospital needs, Baton Rouge General Imaging uses advanced imaging techniques for diagnosis and treatment.

Services Provided:

Bone Densitometry/DEXA

Bone densitometry, also called DXA or DEXA, is the established standard for measuring bone loss using enhanced x-ray technology.

Bone densitometry uses a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body to measure bone loss, usually in the lower spine and hips. Simple, quick and noninvasive, DEXA is commonly used to diagnose osteoporosis and assess risk for developing fractures.

Preparing for your Exam

You should not take calcium supplements for at least 24 – 48 hours before your exam.
On the day of the exam, you may eat normally.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing, avoiding clothes with zippers, belts or buttons made of metal.
You should bring a complete list of your current medications to your DEXA scan appointment.
You may be asked to remove some or all of your clothes and to wear a gown during the exam.
You may also be asked to remove jewelry, glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.

If you have recently had a barium examination or have been injected with a contrast material, you may have to wait 10 to 14 days before undergoing a DEXA test. Be sure to let your physician know about recent barium exams so you can schedule appropriately. If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist.

Computed Tomography (CT)

CT scans, or CAT scans, combine a series of X-rays from different angles to create cross-sectional images or “slices” of the body.

Because CT scans offer more detail than conventional x-rays they are helpful as your care team diagnoses disease or injury to internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels. Your care team will also use your CT scans to determine the best treatment for you.

Common Uses of the CT Scan:

To determine the cause of stroke
To evaluate serious head injuries
To help diagnose chest diseases
To detect abnormalities in the body, such as tumors, abscesses, and abnormal blood vessels
To see if tumors are responding to treatment
To help plan radiotherapy
To screen for lung cancer or other lung disorders
To evaluate injuries to the hands, feet, and other bones

Preparing for Your Exam

You should inform your physician of any medications you are taking and if you have any allergies, especially to contrast materials.

You may be asked not to eat or drink anything for several hours beforehand, especially if a contrast material will be used in your exam.
Please let your physician know about any medications you are taking and if you have any allergies, especially to contrast materials.
You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your exam. You may be given a gown to wear during the procedure.

Be sure to inform your doctor of any recent illnesses or other medical conditions, and if you have a history of heart disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease or thyroid problems. Any of these conditions could increase the risk of an unusual adverse effect. If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist.

Fluoroscopy

Fluoroscopy evaluates moving body structures, including the skeletal, digestive, urinary, cardiovascular, respiratory and reproductive systems. Fluoroscopy is like an X-ray "movie," sometimes involving contrast dye moving through the body part being examined while an X-ray beam passes through that part of the body. Details about the body part and its motions are then sent to a video monitor.

Common Uses of Fluoroscopy

Fluoroscopy may be used to evaluate specific areas of the body including the bones, bowel, muscles, heart vessels, and joints.

Preparing for Your Exam

If there is any chance you may be pregnant, your exam should be postponed until the start of your period or within 10 days after.
If you are having an esophagus, stomach or duodenum and/or small bowel fluoroscopy, do not eat or drink anything including water after midnight before your exam.
Certain exams can take as long as 4 hours.

Upper and Lower GI Exams (Gastrointestinal Radiography)

Upper gastrointestinal tract radiography, or an upper GI, is an x-ray of the pharynx, esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine. Using fluoroscopy and barium as a contrast material, upper GIs help radiologists to evaluate tissues and determine how to best treat them.

A double-contrast upper GI, or an air-contrast, is an x-ray of the small intestines. This is also referred to as a small bowel series. Double-contrast upper GIs use fluoroscopy to see internal organs in motion. To prepare for a double-contrast upper GI, some patients are also given baking soda crystals in addition to drinking barium. This helps clarify images so your radiologist can best determine how to treat your condition.

Common Uses of Upper GI Exams

An upper GI studies digestive function and detects gastrointestinal issues like ulcers, tumors, inflammation of the esophagus and stomach, hiatal hernias, scarring, blockages. The upper GI also helps diagnose symptoms like difficulty swallowing, chest and stomach pain, reflux, unexplained vomiting, severe indigestion, and blood in the stool.

A lower GI exam or barium enema uses fluoroscopy and barium to x-ray the large intestine. This includes the colon, rectum and sometimes the appendix and a portion of the small intestine.

Common Uses of Lower GI Exam

When barium is in your lower gastrointestinal tract, your radiologist can see and evaluate how your rectum, colon and lower small intestine are functioning.

Lower GI exams can detect or diagnose:
Changes in bowel habits
Benign tumors such as polyps
Blood in stools
Cancer
Chronic diarrhea
Constipation
Inflammatory bowel disease
Irritable bowel syndrome
Suspected blood loss
Ulcers
Unexplained weight loss
Signs of other intestinal illness

Preparing for Your Exam

Upper GI

Please let your physician know about any medications you are taking and if you have any allergies, especially to contrast materials.
If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist. Your stomach must be empty of food to ensure the best possible image quality.
Do not eat or drink anything including water after midnight before your exam.
Do not chew gum or smoke after midnight on the day of the examination.
You may be asked to wear a gown during the exam.
You may be asked to remove jewelry, glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.
After the procedure, drink plenty of clear fluids.

Lower GI Exam (Barium Enema)

Please let your physician know about any medications you are taking and if you have any allergies, especially to contrast materials.
Please inform your doctor about recent illnesses or other medical conditions.

Please have the following items on hand the day before your procedure:

10 fluid ounces magnesium citrate (1.7 gram per ounce – any brand name)
4 bisacodyl tablets 5 mg (any brand name laxative tablet)
1 bisacodyl suppository 10 mg (any brand name)

Day before procedure

Breakfast: clear soup (any broth), strained fruit juice without pulp, flavored gelatin, soft drinks, black coffee or plain tea

Lunch: clear soup (any broth), strained fruit juice without pulp, flavored gelatin, soft drinks, black coffee or plain tea

1:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
2:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
3:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
4:00 p.m.- drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
5:00 p.m.- clear soup (any broth), strained fruit juice without pulp, flavored gelatin, soft drinks, black coffee or plain tea

5:30 p.m.: drink an entire bottle of magnesium citrate oral solution. This product generally produces a bowel movement in 30 minutes to 6 hours.

6:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
7:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water

7:30 p.m.: Swallow all four (4) enclosed bisacodyl tablets with 8 ounces of water. Do not chew tablets. The tablets are to be taken two hours after drinking the magnesium citrate solution. Bisacodyl tablets generally produce a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours.

8:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water
9:00 p.m. - drink one (1) full 8-ounce glass of water

Do not eat after 9:00 p.m.

Day of procedure

At least two hours before exam, unwrap the foil wrapper from the bisacodyl suppository and discard the foil.
While lying on your side with thigh raised, insert the suppository into the rectum and gently push in as far as possible.
Retain the suppository for at least 15 minutes if possible before evacuating, even if the urge is strong. Bowel evacuation usually occurs within 15 to 60 minutes. Patients who require assistance should have a bed pan or restroom readily available.

You can take your usual prescribed oral medications with limited amounts of water.

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to your exam. You may be given a gown to wear during the procedure.

If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist.

Mammography

Mammography, a high-resolution x-ray of the breast, can detect cancer long before you notice symptoms. Annual mammograms are recommended for women age 40 and older, and for younger women who have a known increased risk of breast cancer.

Preparing for your mammogram

Before you schedule your mammogram, we recommend talking to your doctor about any new findings or problems in your breasts. In your discussion, be sure to let your doctor know about any prior surgeries, hormone use, and family history or personal history of breast cancer. If your breasts are usually tender the week before your period, the best time to schedule your mammogram is one week following your cycle.

If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist.

What to bring

Your physician order (Baton Rouge General Physicians patients have standing orders at all of our imaging locations)
Personal identification
Insurance cards
Medication list
Mammography screening form

Click here to learn more about mammography at Baton Rouge General.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

The MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) exam is a safe and painless procedure using a magnetic field and radio waves to take detailed images without x-rays. These images help your doctor quick and accurately diagnose many diseases and conditions.

Common Uses of MRI

MRIs can be used to clearly see small bodily structures in your body. MRIs are frequently used to examine the brain, nerves, spinal cord, bones, joints, breasts and some organs. In some cases, your doctor may need to see more specific details and could require an injection of contrast materials to enhance the images.

Preparing for Your Exam

You will be asked to lie down on a comfortable, padded table. Our technologists will make sure you’re properly positioned and relaxed. Depending on the type of MRI you have, scans last approximately 20 to 45 minutes. All MRI machines make a knocking sound but the tests are completely painless, and you can communicate with the technologist at all times through an intercom. You can even listen to music throughout the exam.

Please review the information below to ensure your MRI goes as smoothly as possible:

If you have claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or anxiety, you may want to talk to your doctor before your appointment about a prescription for a mild sedative.
You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing with no metal buttons, zippers or grommets. You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.
Please leave jewelry and other accessories at home if possible, or remove them prior to the MRI scan. They can interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit. This includes glasses, watches, and other objects like credit cards and cell phones.
Unless your healthcare team tells you otherwise, you may follow your regular daily routine and take medications as usual.

As with any medical procedure, please let the technologist know if you think you may be pregnant. Typically, pregnant women should not have MRIs because the risks of this exam to the baby are unknown. In some cases, however, physicians decide that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. Please talk to your doctor about this.

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine uses radiation similar to what comes from standard x-rays to give your doctor information about body parts’ structure and function. Before your exam, you will swallow, inhale or have a small dose of radioactive substance injected, which allows your radiologist to take images of the area that needs to be treated.

Common Uses of Nuclear Medicine

Images from nuclear medicine studies help your doctor diagnose tumors, infection, and other disorders with detailed pictures of certain organs and their functions.

Nuclear medicine can be used to:

Analyze kidney function
Take images of blood flow and heart functionality
Scan lungs for respiratory and blood flow issues
Identify gallbladder blockage
Determine fracture, infection, arthritis and tumors in bones
Identify the presence or spreading of cancer
Identify bleeding into the bowel
Locate infection
Measure thyroid function to detect overactivity or underactivity

Preparing for Your Exam
You don’t typically need special preparation for a nuclear medicine exam, but if the procedure will evaluate your stomach, your doctor may advise you to skip a meal before the test.

If the procedure will assess the kidneys, you may need to drink plenty of water before the test.

PET Scan

PET scans, or Positron Emission Tomography, use positively charged particles to detect slight changes in your metabolism and chemical activities with a color-coded image of your body's function.

Common Uses of The Pet Scan

PET scans are used primarily to detect cancer such as breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, melanoma and other skin cancers by measuring abnormal molecular cell activity.

Preparing for Your Exam

Do not eat or drink anything except for water at least 6 hours before your exam.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing with no metal for your scan.
You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.
You may take your medicines with water.
You can drink water before your exam.
Refrain from strenuous activity 48 hours before the test.

If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should always inform your physician or x-ray technologist.

Ultrasound

Ultrasounds or sonography take pictures of the inside of your body using high-frequency sound waves. Ultrasound images can show your physician how your body's internal organs are structured and moving. Ultrasounds can also show blood flowing through blood vessels.

Common Uses of Ultrasound Exams

Ultrasounds can help diagnose conditions such as abdominal pains, inflamed appendix, enlarged abdominal organ, stones in the gallbladder or kidney, or aortic aneurysms by evaluating the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, abdominal aorta and other abdominal blood vessels. Ultrasounds may also be used to guide procedures and to help determine and treat damage caused by illness.

Preparing for Your Exam

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam.
Remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined. You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.
Tell your doctor if you have had a barium enema or a series of upper GI (gastrointestinal) tests within the past two days. Barium that remains in the intestines can interfere with the ultrasound test.

X-ray

X-rays take pictures of the inside of your body using a small amount of radiation. When X-ray beams go through the body, they are absorbed in different amounts depending on the body part being examined.

No special preparations are needed for this quick, painless test.