Services
Appointments: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm
Laboratory
LABORATORY: Certified Phlebotomy Technicians draw your blood, and registered Medical Technologists run your lab tests using state-of-the-art analyzers in our laboratory. We perform a wide variety of testing in-house, thereby reducing your healthcare costs. If your physician orders tests we do not perform in our laboratory, we will send your blood or urine samples to Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp.
Some of the tests performed in our laboratory include:
• Chemistry tests (Electrolytes, glucose, lipid panel, liver & renal function tests, and thyroid tests)
• Hematology tests (Complete Blood Count, Sedimentation Rate)
• Protimes are performed by a nurse in our Coumadin Clinic
• Tests for mononucleosis, H pylori, occult blood, pregnancy, influenza and strep
• Urine Testing (urinalysis, microscopic exam, and urine chemistries)
• Drug Testing
Bone Density
A bone density scan is a simple, non-invasive and painless exam to test for osteoporosis or weakening of the bones. This is a condition that often affects women after menopause but may also be found in men. Osteoporosis involves a gradual loss of calcium, as well as structural changes, causing the bones to become thinner, more fragile and more likely to break.
Preparation:
- 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, dentures, eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.
- Inform your physician if you recently had a barium examination or have been injected with a contrast material for a computed tomography (CT) scan or radioisotope scan. You may have to wait 10 to 14 days before undergoing a DXA test.
- Women should always inform their physician and x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant or have an IUD (interuterine device) inserted.
Test Procedure:
- During the procedure, you will lie on a table scanner for five to eight minutes.
- Patients may be asked to remain still as moving may cause blurry images.
CT Scan
Also referred to as CAT scan. This is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat various medical conditions. CT scans of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels provide detail and clarity compared to regular x-ray exams.
Preparation:
- Comfortable, loose clothing should be worn, although in some cases a patient will be asked to change into a gown for the examination.
- It is also important to remove any metal prior to the exam: jewelry, dentures, eyeglasses, belt buckles, and metal zippers and buttons which can interfere with the images.
- A patient may be asked to limit eating and drinking to clear liquids, such as water, black coffee and tea, and broth for several hours prior to the appointment. This request will be dependent upon the facility and the type of examination.
- For many CT examinations, a contrast agent (a liquid that enhances imaging of certain organs or blood vessels) will be administered. Depending on the type of examination, the contrast may be given orally, intravenously, or as an enema. If certain types of contrast will be used during an examination, the patient may be required to not eat for several hours or use an enema to cleanse the colon prior to his/her appointment.
Test Procedure:
- The technologist begins by positioning you on the CT examination table, usually lying flat on your back or possibly on your side or on your stomach.
- Straps and pillows may be used to help you maintain the correct position and to hold still during the exam.
- If contrast material is used, it will either be swallowed, injected through an intravenous line (IV) or administered by enema, depending on the type of examination.
- Next, the table will move quickly through the scanner to determine the correct starting position for the scans. Then, the table will move slowly through the machine as the actual CT scanning is performed.
- You may be asked to hold your breath during the scanning. Any motion, whether breathing or body movements, can lead to artifacts on the images. This is similar to the blurring seen on a photograph taken of a moving object.
- CT scanning of the body is usually completed within 30 minutes.
EKG
An electrocardiogram (EKG) is an important part of the initial evaluation of a patient who is suspected to have a heart related problem.
Preparation:
- The only preparation for an EKG to wear clothes that allow easy access to your chest. Thus, a blouse or shirt with buttons down the front is more practical than a pantsuit or dress.
- Your chest may be cleansed with alcohol to ensure good electrical contact with the EKG electrode, or monitoring device.
- In men with hairy chest, small areas may be shaved to allow adequate skin contact with the electrode.
Test Procedure:
- Small sticky electrodes are applied to the patient’s chest, arms and legs. However, with some systems, the electrodes may be applied to the chest, shoulders and the sides of the lower chest, or hips.
- Wires are used to connect the patient to an EKG machine.
- You will be asked to remain very still and to refrain from talking while a nurse or technician records the EKG.
- The activity created by your heart is processed by the EKG machine and then printed on a special graph paper. This is then interpreted by your physician.
- It takes only a few minutes to apply the EKG electrodes, and one full minute to make the actual recording.
Stress Test
A test that involves walking on a treadmill at increasing levels of difficulty, while your, heart rate, and blood pressure are monitored.
Preparation:
- Do not eat or drink for 3 hours prior to the procedure.
- Diabetics, particularly those who use insulin, will need special instructions from the physician’s office.
- Specific heart medicines may need to be stopped one or two days prior to the test. (Check with your doctor before sopping any medication.)
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that are suitable for exercise.
- An explanation of the test is provided and the patient is asked to sign a consent form.
Test Procedure:
- Sticky circular leads are attached to the chest, shoulders and hips and connected to the EKG portion of the stress test.
- The treadmill is then started at a relatively slow “warm-up” speed. The treadmill speed and its slope are increased every three minutes.
- The physician pays particular attention to the heart rate, blood pressure, changes in the EKG pattern, irregular heart rhythm, and the patient’s appearance and symptoms.
- The treadmill is stopped when the patient achieves a target heart rate (this is 85% of the maximal heart rate predicted for the patient’s age). However, if the patient is doing extremely well at peak exercise, the treadmill test may be continued further.
- The test may be stopped prior to achievement of the target heart rate if the patient develops significant chest discomfort, shortness of breath, dizziness, unsteady gait, etc., or if the EKG shows alarming changes or serious irregular heart beats.
- It may also be stopped if the blood pressure (BP) rises or falls beyond acceptable limits.
- The test is usually completed in an hour.
Ultrasound
A non-invasive procedure that produces pictures of the inside of the body, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.
Preparation:
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes for the ultrasound examination.
- For some type of scans, you have to be on an empty stomach and may be instructed not to eat or drink for 12 hours prior to appointment.
- It is advisable to drink up to six glasses of water, two hours prior to your exam.
- Avoid urinating so that your bladder is full when the scan begins. Generally, a full urinary bladder is necessary for a proper ultrasound examination.
Test Procedure:
- Clothing over the area to be scanned is removed.
- You will probably be asked to lie down on a bed or table for the scan.
- Ultrasonic waves are inaudible and cause no sensation, though pressure from the transducer may be uncomfortable, although this is unlikely.
- A warm oil or gel is applied to the skin in order to help the technician move the small handheld scanner over the body area to be imaged.
- During the procedure, you will probably be able to watch the ultrasound images on the screen attached to the scanner.
- The scan itself usually takes about 15 minutes.
X-Ray
An x-ray (radiograph) is a non-invasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Imaging with x-rays involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation in order to produce pictures of the inside of the body. X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging.A bone x-ray makes images of any bone in the body, including the hand, wrist, arm, elbow, shoulder, foot, ankle, leg (shin), knee, thigh, hip, pelvis or spine.
Preparation:
- Most bone x-rays require no special preparation.
- You may be asked to remove some or all of your clothes or to put on a gown during the exam.
- You may also be asked to remove jewelry, dentures, eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.
- Inform the health care provider prior to the exam if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, or have an IUD (intrauterine device) inserted.
- If abdominal studies are planned and you have had a barium contrast study (such as a barium enema, upper GI series, or barium swallow) or taken medications containing bismuth (such as Pepto-Bismol) in the last 4 days, the test may be delayed until the contrast has fully passed.
Test Procedure:
- The positioning of the patient, x-ray machine, and film depends on the type of study and area of the body to be imaged.
- Multiple views may be ordered by the physician.
- Much like home photography, motion causes blurry images on radiographs, and thus, patients may be asked to hold their breath or not move during the photograph (about 1 second).