We are back with Tanya Byers from
Cone Health. She's the director of
imaging at Wesley Long Hospital,
and she's explaining what imaging is what
you need to know about certain procedures,
whether it's mammograms or
MRI or CAT scans or whatever.
So let's talk about this.
We've heard so much about false
positives happening during mammograms.
When women go to get them because
they recently got their COVID vaccine.
So what we know now.
Should women wait to get checked
until a little bit of time has
passed after their vaccine?
So most medical procedures and screening
screenings can be done before or after
code of vaccinations or boosters.
You know if you are due for a mammogram,
we highly recommend you talk to your
own health provider about getting your
vaccine and what that might look like.
Some experts are recommending you get
your mammogram before being vaccinated,
or at least wait that four to six
weeks after getting your vaccination.
Alright, and for sure if you
got your vaccination and it's
somewhere close to your appointment,
you should just tell your provider.
Yes, most definitely.
It's very important for you
to get back on track with all
your preventative screenings,
OK, and so, and there's a reason for that,
so they'll know if there's some
information there that's not really there.
So if someone delayed,
let's say they're mammogram,
or some other screening
right because of COVID,
should they call the screening location
directly now for an appointment,
or do they have to kind
of go through the steps?
So you do have some steps to take with that.
You should contact your health
care provider immediately.
Referrals are required for that,
so if there's a specific location
that's gonna be convenient for you,
I would also recommend sharing
that with your provider.
Yeah, because they don't know
where everybody lives, right?
So so often, you know your
provider will be like, well,
you're going to go, you know,
and get it done here without thinking.
That might be a hardship.
Again, talking to your provider and saying,
hey, is there another spot is
a good idea, all right?
So let's talk about the difference
between a screening mammogram.
In a diagnostic mammogram?
Yeah, there is a big difference.
Uh, screening mammograms are
usually more preventative,
and while your doctor may also order
a diagnostic mammogram looking
for signs of best breast cancer,
a diagnostic mammogram is typically more
detailed than a screening mammogram.
Diagnostic mammograms are typically
ordered if you find suspicious
results on your screening mammogram,
or if there's some kind of signs or
symptoms that you might have breast cancer,
a physician might take those extra steps.
Now I have a question,
is a diagnostic mammogram and a 3D?
Mammogram, the same thing,
or two different things?
Those are two different things as well,
and it really is based on what your
provider is looking for. Is going to
be based on what he orders for you.
Most of our care is very customized to the
patient's OK. Got you all right,
so now what's the difference
between a CT scan and an MRI?
Those things get thrown around all the time,
so when should someone get a CT scan?
And when should someone get an MRI?
So before we even start that one,
I'm going to say you definitely want
to talk to your provider about these.
They are going to be the best at
choosing what's going to be the
imaging service you're going to need.
So while CT and MRI,
a lot of the times are very interchangeable,
the biggest difference is that
in MRI uses radio waves,
while the CT uses X rays.
So MRI's are especially useful in
spotting injuries like musculoskeletal
conditions such as cartilage loss,
joint inflammation, spinal injuries,
torn ligaments, and.
A lot more stuff,
but CT scans are much faster than an MRI,
and they're useful in spotting
blood clots or bone fractures.
Lung cancer.
And really the choice is going
to depend on your provider,
what they're looking for.
Any contrast allergies that you might have,
or even your compatibility with
our MRI machine because we have to
remember that MRI machine is magnetic.
OK, and so that means that some people
can't have an MRI because of that.
That's correct, depending on
what type of pacemaker they have.
If they have some or if they have
metal that's embedded in their body,
that's something we do when
we screen a patient for MRI,
so it usually starts with your
provider and we make sure we
have lots of backups to that.
OK, so all of these things. Mammograms,
MRI, CTS, all that kind of stuff.
You take them and then you wait right?
So how soon can someone expect results
from medical tests like these? So most
of the time your doctor receives those
test results in less than 24 hours.
The person performing your exam,
you know they they get it
done as quickly as they can.
The results are usually
available in your cone health.
My chart, which is a secure
online health record,
but it is usually less than
24 hours when they result all
right. And this is important too,
because like if a healthcare
provider says that you need a
scan or a test done, does that
necessarily mean something is wrong?
Oh no, not necessarily.
These medical tests really are just tools
to help you with your health and well being.
The pictures really just give us
and your providers what's going
on inside your body changes that
may or may not have occurred,
and they're they're really to help
you with your treatment plan. I mean,
if you have any questions or concerns,
you should definitely talk to
your healthcare provider.
And that's why we're we're right
there with you, that that's what
it is is really talking to them,
and they are going to be there with
you through the whole process.
Sometimes it's to eliminate
something so that you know, oh, that.
Is not what is wrong with you?
Alright? We've got about 30 seconds.
Anything quickly else that people
should know about medical imaging.
I think it's very safe we we do a lot here.
We have a wonderful team.
We are one team and I am again going to
say we've got so many locations that
are going to be convenient for you.
So really, talk to your healthcare
provider about what location
is going to be best for most
convenient for you and your family
right? The tests are
already kind of stressful.
We don't want traveling to
be a stressful thing too.
There are options out there.
Thank you all right.
We don't want you to miss any of
this information in a few minutes.
We'll have it posted to our website
in the two year well-being section.