New imaging protocols for computed tomography (CT) scans have been adopted at all UCLA facilities to help reduce the risk of radiation exposure to children undergoing this very beneficial, often life-saving, procedure. A CT scan is a medical imaging method that uses X-rays to generate detailed, specialized images of a body structure. According to M. Ines Boechat, M.D., F.A.C.R., chief of Pediatric Imaging at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA and current president of the Society for Pediatric Radiology, it is often the gold standard for diagnosing many illnesses and injuries. "CT scans produce images of excellent quality with a very short time of radiation exposure," she explains...

An estimated 50 to 70 percent of women have uterine fibroids noncancerous growths that tend to develop during childbearing years. Most women are unaware that they have them, but 20 to 40 percent of women older than 35 experience symptoms, most commonly heavy menstrual flow....

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is playing an increasingly important role in the case
of prostate cancer patients, including prostate cancer detection, disease staging and treatment planning. At UCLA, a team of radiologists, urologists, MRI scientists and technologists work together using advanced prostate imaging and surgical techniques, including robotically assisted prostatectomy, to enable more precise diagnosis and treatment. UCLA is also planning studies using MR imaging to guide highly accurate, non-invaseive treatments for prostate cancer...

PET-CT imaging technology allows specialists to provide diagnostic services for the evaluation of cancer and dementia at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital (SM-UCLA&OH). The procedure can provide staging information in cancer patients, or can be conducted to evaluate dementia or therapy-refractory seizure disorder....

In addition to the latest radiographic, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) equipment, UCLA radiologists and technologists use ultrasound and MR arthrography imaging techniques to enhance diagnostic capabilities for certain musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. These tools offer orthopaedic and rheumatology patients the complete array of diagnostic modalities....

UCLA Radiology can provide your practice with an imaging package for dental implant patients that offers paraxial and panoramic views produced by our new high-speed 64-slice Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (CT) system to assist in pre- and post-implant planning. This procedure also is available on our Sensation 16 system. The imaging study is performed under the direction of Dr. Kambiz Motamedi, musculoskeletal radiologist....

A landmark study, in which UCLA participated, has shown that digital mammograms are 15 to 28 percent more effective than standard film mammograms in detecting tumors in women with dense breast tissue, those who are pre- or perimenopausal (women who had their last menopausal period within 12 months of their mammograms), and those younger than 50 years of age....

Care for coronary artery disease is currently moving to a more aggressive model, emphasizing prevention and targeting people who are at risk for developing the condition in order to make the diagnosis early. The traditional model has been to wait for symptoms to present and then try to find their cause; but with coronary artery disease, by the time symptoms appear, a significant blockage of the artery exists so that the blood supply to the heart is compromised or completely cut off. Traditional diagnosis using angiogram presents too great a risk for patients who are asymptomatic or who have only subtle symptoms. The changing approach to aggressively diagnose early calls for less invasive diagnostic tests....

Surgical resection, usually the first local treatment option considered for patients with liver tumors, may not be suitable for all patients. Precutaneous ablation now offers the best option in treating most small tumors, such as primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Further, percutaneous ablation offers a local treatment option to supplement systemic therapy, in those with liver metastases who might benefit from this treatment. With this minimally invasive procedure, patients usually go home the same day or after an overnight hospital stay, usually with only minor side effects if nay. Major complications occur in only up to 3 percent of cases....

UCLA offers uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) for the treatment of uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors estimated to affect as many as 77 percent of American women. The presence of fibroids, generally diagnosed during a gynecologic internal exam, is most frequently confirmed by an abdominal ultrasound. Magnetic resonance or computer tomography imaging techniques may also be used to comfirm diagnosis....

Virtual colonoscopy, also known as 'CT colonography' because the images are created by three-dimensional reconstruction of high-resolution CT (computed tomography) images, offers visualization of the colon similar to that of an optical colonoscopy in a less invasive and less time-consuming procedure....