The Department of Diagnostic Imaging incorporates facilities at Little Company of Mary Hospitals – Torrance and San Pedro, Delamo Diagnostic Center and Beach Cities Ambulatory Care Center. State-of-the-art equipment is included in its diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. In addition, the department offers a team of highly skilled specialists who provide a vast array of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in Neuroradiology and Interventional Spine Radiology.

Bone scans are used to detect damage to the bones, including infection, tumors, fractures or arthritis. A radioactive tracer is injected into the bloodstream, and travels to the bone where it attaches itself to areas that that are undergoing rapid changes, such as bone growth or bone destruction. During the scan, the patient lies still on a table while a scanning camera slowly passes above and around the body.

A CT scan is an X-ray test that can produce detailed images of structures of the spine, including discs, spinal cord, spinal canal, nerve roots, muscles and bone. This test employs radiation to produce a detailed image of a “slice,” or cross section, of the area being scanned. Unlike a regular X-ray, a CT scan can produce clear images of soft tissue structures. It can also show bone better than an MRI, and is useful in evaluating bone defects.

A discogram is a special test that involves injecting a special dye into the nucleus of the disc. A CT scan or X-ray can detect if the dye travels outside the disc and show whether or not the disc is ruptured. The actual goal of this pre-surgical test is to evaluate whether or not the suspected disc is the actual culprit in producing the back pain, by attempting to recreate the pain. This pre-surgical test can identify if the suspicious disc is responsible for the problem, and if surgery is necessary on that particular disc.

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