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At Dignity Health, your medical team of nurses, technicians, and radiologists may use imaging scans and diagnostic tests to pinpoint the cause of symptoms and guide treatment decisions. These tests and scans are frequently performed in the radiology, women’s imaging, or women’s diagnostic imaging department of our clinics. Find a Doctor and arrange your appointment today.
Women’s imaging and testing can be used to diagnose and treat:
Available women’s imaging and testing services at Dignity Health include:
Imaging tests are considered very low risk. Common types of imaging, like x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT, and PET scans essentially take a picture of your internal organs, bones, or other tissues noninvasively, without causing any damage.
Some of these scans use radioactive materials to create an image, with some (like CT scans) using more than others (like x-rays). A small amount of radiation exposure is relatively harmless (for example, we are all exposed to natural radiation in the air, in building materials, and from sunlight every day), but a lot of radiation exposure can have negative effects on babies in the womb and young children. If you are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, you should always discuss this with your doctor before undergoing imaging-based diagnostic tests.
Some other kinds of diagnostic testing, like biopsies, require the removal of a small portion of tissue. These are small, straightforward procedures that are usually done under local anesthesia, which numbs the area around the biopsy site. While complications from this kind of procedure are very rare, any procedure carries some risk, such as infection or an allergic reaction to the anesthesia.
These procedures are commonly used to rule out serious diseases like cancer, so the benefits of fast and accurate diagnoses typically far outweigh any potential risks.
Regardless of the type of scan or test you get, your doctor will be happy to discuss what to expect and any potential risks with you during your appointment.
The information contained in this article is meant for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your healthcare provider.