Today's medical imaging technology helps your physician accurately diagnose your condition more quickly. HRMC offers state-of-the-art imaging services from X-ray and ultrasound to mammography and MRI – right here at home. Whether you've been injured, are experiencing painful symptoms or need preventative testing, HRMC's staff will provide caring, expert help when you need it.
24-Hour On-Call Service – 605-353-6200 (7 days a week)
Location Main Hospital Building 1st Floor 172 4th Street SE Huron, SD 57350
HRMC's professionally trained team, which includes 10 certified technologists and one board certified interventional radiologist, offers a variety of imaging tools for diagnosis and treatment of injuries or diseases. The imaging department is filmless (with the exception of mammography), which means your physician can view results electronically via secure Internet connection – for quicker diagnosis and treatment.
Your physician must order the test, with the exception of a mammography. A mammography can be self-referred, but a physician's name and address must be provided to send your results.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of technology's most advanced diagnostic tools for today's physician. MRI uses a powerful magnet, low-intensity radio waves and computer technology to create detailed images of the soft tissues, muscles, nerves and bones in your body. There are no known side effects of MRI, and it uses no harmful radiation.
HRMC's MRI unit is available for quick diagnosis in the event of an emergency. This state-of-the-art equipment offers increased accuracy and capabilities, which allows physicians to better view soft tissues and diagnose medical problems in the brain, spine, joints and heart.
MRI mammography is also available for women who have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. In a Dutch study of nearly 2,000 high-risk women, mammograms detected 36 percent of the women's tumors, while MRIs picked up 71 percent.
MRI exams for breast imaging use a contrast material (gadolinium DTPA) that is injected into a small vein in the arm before or during the exam. This improves the ability of MRI to clearly show breast tissue details. MRI is most often used along with mammograms or breast ultrasound to detect breast cancer, in women with high risk or very dense breasts.
CT Scan
Computerized tomography, also known as a CT scan, is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools. Cross-sectional views of the body are processed by a computer and converted into visible images, which give your physician a 3-D view of your body, and as a result, your medical problems can be diagnosed more accurately.
HRMC's 64-slice Volume CT can capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats, an organ in one second, and perform a whole body trauma scan in ten seconds, more than twice as fast as conventional multi-slice CT scanners. This speed is especially helpful in shortening breath holds for geriatric patients, patients who are on ventilators and pediatric patients.
In a single rotation, the LightSpeed VCT creates 64 high-resolution anatomical images as thin as a credit card. These images are combined to form a three-dimensional view of the patient's anatomy. From these images, physicians can view such things as blockages in the coronary arteries, as well as the motion and pumping action of a patient's heart (virtual coronary angiography). Read the personal health stories of two local Huron men who had a virtual coronary angiogram and discovered heart blockages before any heart damage occured:
Ultrasound
An ultrasound examination, or sonogram, is a diagnostic test that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce high-quality images of soft tissues and motion within the body. Ultrasound involves no X-rays and can provide medical information that, in the past, may have required surgery.
Ultrasound can detect aneurysms, blood clots, damaged heart tissue, abnormal growths, diseased tissue and, during pregnancy, a baby's size, weight, position and physical condition. Ultrasound is also used to diagnose muscle injuries and some joint problems.
Digital Mammography
Digital mammography uses safe, low doses of X-rays to image the inside of breasts and is a more accurate tool for identifying abnormalities in the breast that are far too small to be felt during self-exams. Currently, it is the best way to detect cancer when no symptoms exist. Early detection of small cancers and prompt treatment result in the highest possible cure rates.
HRMC offers full field digital mammography – a powerful new tool in the detection and fight against breast cancer. The key benefits of digital mammography are improved accuracy, lower radiation, quicker exam time and increased comfort.
From the patient's point of view, a digital mammogram is like traditional film screen mammography. However, instead of using film to capture and record the image, a digital mammogram uses a special detector to capture and convert x-ray energy into a digital image. The resulting digital images are immediately available versus having to wait for traditional film development.
Digital mammography allows physicians to view the x-ray image more closely zeroing in on suspicious or concerning areas, enabling them to make immediate decisions about additional images. Digital mammography is also remarkably fast, providing crystal clear electronic images in just a few seconds with the entire exam taking less than half the time of traditional film-based exams.
Computer-aided detection (CAD) provides a "second read" of the mammogram by a computer to assist the radiologist in making an accurate diagnosis. HRMC also chose a digital mammography unit which uses a special tungsten x-ray tube to further decrease radiation doses up to 30 percent when compared to traditional film mammography.
According to the American Cancer Society, women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year, and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. Mammograms for older women should be based on the individual, her health and other serious illnesses.
If there is a history of breast cancer in your family, your physician may suggest having a mammogram sooner than the recommended age or more often than the recommended guideline.
IMPORTANT! On the day of your mammogram, be sure not to apply underarm deodorant/antiperspirant as it can interfere with the imaging process.
X-ray
X-ray examinations provide valuable information about your health and are key in helping your physician make an accurate diagnosis. X-rays are also beneficial in the assistance of placing tubes and other devices in the body.
X-rays use a low, safe dose of radiation to penetrate the body to produce either photographic film or video pictures of internal structures. Common uses of X-rays are:
Examining the chest - diagnoses diseases of the heart and lungs.
Studying bones - detects fractures.
Checking the digestive system - detects ulcers and other digestive system diseases.
Searching for foreign bodies - pinpoints the exact location of foreign bodies, such as metal.
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine tests utilize trace amounts of radioactive materials, or isotopes, and a large camera to capture and track images of a number of different diagnostic tests, including scans of the liver, thyroid, heart, brain, gall bladder, and bones. Nuclear medicine is used to not only diagnose conditions, but also to manage, treat and prevent serious disease.
Unlike diagnostic radiology procedures, which are based upon anatomy, nuclear medicine testing provides information about both the structure and function of nearly every major organ system in the body.
Nuclear medicine testing is safe and painless. The amount of radiation in a nuclear medicine test is equivalent to that received during an X-ray. HRMC's Nuclear Medicine dual-head camera reduces scanning time to one-quarter that of single-head cameras - improving comfort, convenience and efficiency for patients.
Dexascan
A Dexascan, or DEXA bone densitometry scan, measures your bone mineral density (BMD) or bone mass. Your physician can use the results of your test to recommend treatment programs designed to slow down or even reverse the degenerative effects of osteoporosis.
Dexascans can be an important part of a proactive treatment program designed to prevent loss of bone mass and avoid debilitating bone fractures caused by osteoporosis.
Panorex X-ray
A panorex, or panoramic, X-ray provides a view of the upper and lower jaws, teeth and sinuses. It clearly shows impacted teeth or other intrabony abnormalities and the surrounding anatomy.
Panorex X-rays are effective in the following areas:
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Today's medical imaging technology helps your physician accurately diagnose your condition more quickly. HRMC offers state-of-the-art imaging services from X-ray and ultrasound to mammography and MRI – right here at home. Whether you've been injured, are experiencing painful symptoms or need preventative testing, HRMC's staff will provide caring, expert help when you need it.