Services

Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging (also called nuclear medicine) uses very small amounts of radioactive materials to examine organ function and structure and is often used to help diagnose and treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease.

Molecular imaging is a combination of several disciplines, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology and medicine. This branch of radiology is often used to help diagnose and treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease. Molecular imaging differs in some ways from other forms of radiology in that these imaging studies examine organ function and structure, whereas diagnostic radiology is based primarily on anatomy. Molecular imaging studies assist the radiologist in diagnosing diseases. Tumors, infection and other disorders can be detected by evaluating organ function. SPR physicians interpret
many molecular imaging studies, typically performed in area hospitals served.

All of St. Paul Radiology’s molecular imaging radiologists are board certified and have undergone fellowship training in interpreting nuclear medicine images.

The diagnostic capabilities of molecular imaging include:
Analyze kidney function
Image perfusion and function of the heart & localize ischemia and infarction
Scan lungs for respiratory and perfusion problems
Evaluate function of the gallbladder and liver
Evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis or tumor
Determine the presence or spread of most cancers
Identify bleeding into the bowel
Locate the presence of infection
Evaluate thyroid function in hypo or hyper thyroid patient and thyroid nodules
Cardiac viability in advanced coronary artery disease

Services

Musculoskeletal Radiology

Musculoskeletal (MSK) radiology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, soft tissues and spine. A MSK radiologist provides imaging interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US) and plain films (x-rays), and also performs some diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Services

Neuroradiology

Neuroradiology focuses on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (connecting the central nervous system to limbs and organs), the spine, and head and neck. Neuroradiologists provide primary imaging interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans of the head, brain and spine, and perform some diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including pain management injections.

Similar to other branches of radiology, neuroradiology has both diagnostic and interventional aspects to the subspecialty and uses multiple imaging services for various indications and diagnosis. Examinations performed include both diagnostic MRI and CT along with therapeutic procedures such as pain management injections.

Services

Pediatric Radiology

Pediatric radiology focuses on diagnosis of illnesses, injuries, and diseases in children from infancy through the teenage years - taking into account the dynamics of a growing body and exposure to radiation.

All of SPR’s pediatric radiologists are fellowship trained, maintain a certificate of added qualification (CAQ) in pediatric radiology, are board certified medical doctors and members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology.

Pediatric radiology is a very busy practice, caring for several thousand pediatric patients each year including emergency room patients, hospitalized and intensive care patients, as well as routine clinic patients. These physicians are primarily based at Children's Hospital and Clinics in St. Paul, but also provide pediatric radiology services for Shriners Hospital, Gillette Children's Hospital, Woodwinds  Hospital, Central Pediatric Clinics, Health Partner's Clinics as well as teleradiology services for several additional local and regional facilities.

Services

Spine Imaging

Spine radiology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the spine including cervical (neck), thoracic (between the neck and abdomen), and lumbar (lower spine). A spine radiologist provides imaging interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US) and plain films (x-rays), and also performs some diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

The most common diagnostic examinations interpreted by the radiologist include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and plain films (“x-rays”). When necessary for diagnosis, a spine radiologist will inject dye into the spine (myelography) prior to a CT scan or disc (discography). A spine radiologist may help to treat pain referable to the spine with an injection. After interpreting an examination or performing an injection our radiologists communicate rapidly and effectively with your doctor.

All of St. Paul Radiology’s spine radiologists are board certified and have undergone fellowship training in interpreting medical images of the spine.

Common conditions where an SPR spine radiologist will assist referring physicians are:
Evaluating back and neck pain
Degenerative disc disease
Evaluating the spine after surgery
Sports and work related injuries
Arthritis
Infections of the spine
Tumors of the spine

Diagnostic and therapeutic injections including:
Epidural steroid injections (transforaminal and midline)
Nerve root blocks (cervical, thoracic, intercostal and lumbar)
Sacroiliac joint injections
Facet joint injections
Myelography
Discography

Services

24 / 7 Radiology

Cornerstone, an affiliate of St. Paul Radiology, provides anytime comprehensive services, ensuring imaging interpretations are ready when they’re needed.
 
EXPAND SERVICES Services include night, weekend, daytime, holiday, vacation, back-up and retirement transition packages OR on-demand coverage. 
 
FOCUS Focused in the Midwest, Cornerstone is committed to relationships with only a limited number of partners to ensure you receive high quality service. 
 
EXPERIENCE Supported by St. Paul Radiology's preferred vendor relationships and a significant investment in information technology, image transfers are routine. 
 
EXPERTISE Cornerstone radiologists provide a high level of sub-specialty expertise to support consultation for all digital modalites.

Learn more at Emergency Radiology Services. 

Call 651.292.2000 to request a consultation.

Services

Body Imaging

Body imaging radiologists use non-invasive diagnostic imaging to look for abnormalities inside the body and perform limited invasive procedures by guiding instruments inside the body to sample tissue.

In the chest, this includes the lungs, heart and vessels. In the abdomen, this includes the liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, adrenal glands, vessels and intestines. In the pelvis, this includes the bladder and female organs. Body imaging radiologists use diagnostic imaging to non-invasively look for abnormalities inside the body. These imaging techniques also help body imaging radiologists perform limited invasive procedures by guiding instruments inside the body to sample tissue. This has all but eliminated the need for exploratory surgeries often performed in the past.

CT
Computed tomography (CT) is a primary body imaging tool. CT can rapidly produce cross sectional images through the body allowing the radiologist to view in detail the internal organs and any diseases affecting them. The entire chest, abdomen and pelvis can be imaged with state-of-the art CT scanners in 15 seconds. This has made CT the primary imaging tool in cases of acute abdominal distress.

MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used in body imaging to characterize abnormal findings in greater detail. MRI produces multiple cross sectional images through the body without the need for iodine contrast and without using ionizing radiation. This makes MRI safer in terms of radiation dose and for people with iodine allergies and kidney disease. MRI produces images with extreme soft tissue detail, allowing the body imaging radiologist to be very specific about tumor location and disease extent. MRI is helpful to show tumors of the liver and other organs and in imaging the blood vessels.

Ultrasound
Ultrasound is an imaging tool that is frequently used in conjunction with MRI and CT to look into the body. Important features of ultrasound include real time live images, the ability to characterize blood flow through vessels and to determine cysts from solid tumors. It uses sound waves to produce images. Ultrasound is the primary screening tool used to look for diseases of the gallbladder and ovaries.

Services

Breast Imaging

Breast imaging radiology procedures include mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and breast procedures such as breast biopsy, for breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

The most common examinations interpreted by SPR radiologists in this specialty area of imaging include screening and diagnostic mammography,  ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography or CT examinations.  When necessary for diagnosis, specialty trained radiologists perform interventional radiology services for improved treatment planning and outcomes. 

All of the breast imaging specialists at St. Paul Radiology are board certified and fellowship trained physicians.  St. Paul Radiology plays a major role in breast cancer screening in the Twin Cities east metropolitan area, providing administrative, imaging and procedural expertise to 3 major breast care centers, and imaging support to many smaller sites of breast imaging.  Our radiologists actively participate in breast care conferences, helping to formulate treatment plans for patients in concert with oncologists, surgeons and pathologists.  We strive to detect breast cancer at its earliest, most successfully-treated stages. 

Our team of physicians take pride in providing compassionate, timely care for our patients, using state-of-the-art technology, including a recent investment in digital mammography systems at select outpatient imaging centers. 

Services

General Radiology

The X-ray is the primary and most common examination within the specialty of radiology.  X-rays provide valuable information to radiologists about your health and play an important role in diagnosis.  X-rays of the chest, abdomen, spine, sinuses and extremities are all very common X-ray tests performed.  X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation producing wavelengths that are shorter than visible light and therefore invisible.  X-rays also behave differently than light in that they are able to penetrate into matter (including the body) and can ionize matter which strips away the normally occurring electrons from atoms and creates radiation. 

The radiology technologists role:

Every technologist at St. Paul Radiology has special training and certification to operate imaging equipment.  These technologists are trained to use the least amount of radiation possible and still produce an image that is of diagnostic quality.  At St. Paul Radiology both medical physicians and a staffed physicist monitor and oversee the technologists. 

Measuring the radiation dose:

The unit of measurement for radiation dose, commonly referred to as effective dose is the millisievert (mSv).  Different parts of the body have varying absorbtion rates for X-rays.  Therefore the effective dose is measured in terms of the radiation risk averaged over the entire body of patients.  The effective dose accounts for the relative sensitivities of the different tissues exposed and allows for quantification of risk and comparisons to radiation that occurs normally within our environment.

In simple terms the effective radiation dose from a single chest X-ray is comparable to the amount of radiation you are exposed to from natural surroundings in about 10 days.  Learn more.  

Services

Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiologists perform procedures using imaging guidance (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], computed tomography [CT], ultrasound [US] and plain films ([x-rays]) and specialize in targeted treatments that are minimally invasive.

SPR has several board certified radiologists that are fellowship trained in percutaneous, under the skin, interventions using guided imaging.  Interventional procedures are typically performed in hospitals served, and often include advances in medicine that replace open surgical procedures.  These types of procedures are generally easier for patients because they involve no large incisions, reduce risk, lessen pain and have shorter recovery times. 

Interventional surgical procedures can involve both the vascular and non-vascular systems and may require follow-up clinical visits with the surgeon. 

Common interventional radiology procedures include:
Aneurysm Stent Graphs & Repairs
Vascular Access Procedures
Deep Vein Thrombosis/Pulmonary Embolism related procedures
Peripheral Vascular Disease related procedures
Gastrointestinal & Biliary related procedures
Dialysis related procedures
Uterine Artery Embolization
Urology related procedures
Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty