Medical Provider Prefers CIS

Most would initially conclude that the above statement comes from a satisfied person who came to Capitol Imaging Services for an imaging exam. Actually, that statement came from a nurse that works in a referring office in New Orleans, LA. This nurse from an orthopedic practice had referred someone to a facility other than Capitol Imaging Services (a hospital imaging … Read More

Know Your CPT Codes

Capitol Imaging Services (CIS) has long touted the encouragement for people to inquire and know about the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code that pertains to a medical exam, procedure or service that they are recommended to have. However, other national resources are also recommending this to people as healthcare consumers. You have the right to know this code and with … Read More

Bones and Osteoporosis

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. In conjunction with the observance, here are some interesting facts to consider and understand: Bone is living, growing tissue that is both flexible and strong.  Throughout life, you are constantly losing old bone and forming new bone.  Osteoporosis happens when you lose too much bone, make too little of it or both.  … Read More

Outpatient vs Hospital Imaging

That’s a common question asked by both people who are patients themselves and medical providers such as physicians, podiatrists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The prevailing attitude is that there is no difference so it doesn’t matter where you go for your MRI, CT or ultrasound. That simply is not true. It can make a BIG difference when a person … Read More

Understanding Bone Spurs

If you or someone you know has had knee pain and after their diagnostic testing, they received a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis, you may be more familiar with the term “osteophytes” or as their more common name, “bone spurs.” Bone spurs have been defined as “abnormal bony lumps that appear on the surface of joints that have suffered some degree of … Read More

MRI Claustrophobia

If you have ever felt nervous, anxious or on edge when in tight spaces such as an elevator, closet or even a small car, chances are you show signs of clinical claustrophobia. Claustrophobia is defined as “a fear of being in closed or small spaces” and “an unhappy or uncomfortable feeling caused by being in a situation that limits or … Read More

Breast Lumps Need Evaluation

Finding a lump in your breast can be a scary thing, but is it something you should worry about? Patients often worry that lumps in their breasts could be early signs of breast cancer. Sometimes a lumpy breast can be mistaken as being cancerous. The important thing is to know you breasts and understand your own normal. No one will … Read More

Understanding Computed Tomography

A CT scan uses a computer that takes data from several X-ray images of structures inside a human body and converts them into pictures on a monitor. CT stands for computerized tomography. Tomography is the process of generating a 2-dimensional image of a slice or section through a 3-dimensional object. Similar to looking at one slice of bread within the … Read More

Colon Cancer Awareness Month

As part of national health observances that are spread out throughout the year, the month of March has been designated as Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is responsible for an estimated 50,000 deaths each year. But thanks to increased colon cancer awareness efforts, the death rate has been dropping steadily since the 1980s. Screening for colon and colorectal cancer … Read More

Benefits of MR Enterography

MR enterography is a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed with a contrast material to produce detailed images of the small intestine. Physicians use MR enterography to identify and locate: the presence of and complications from Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases inflammation bleeding sources and vascular abnormalities tumors abscesses and fistulas bowel obstructions The benefits of … Read More

DIS awarded Breast Center of Excellence

In the greater New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana region, the Diagnostic Imaging Services Women’s Center, part of our Metairie, LA Women’s and Advanced Imaging facility, has been awarded the Breast Imaging Center of Excellence designation by the American College of Radiology (ACR). According to the ACR, “The Breast Imaging Center of Excellence (BICOE) designation is awarded to breast imaging centers … Read More

Florida Physician refers to CIS

Why does a physician in Florida refer all of her patients to Capitol Imaging Services? Because, in her opinion, it is due to the excellent patient care and attention from our associates to people she sends to one of our network affiliates for their imaging exam. How excellent and personal? Florida-based Homosassa Open MRI had a person arrive in front … Read More

MRI of ruptured breast implant

Breast implants are one of the more commonly performed plastic surgery procedures in the United States. More than 285,000 women received breast implants in 2014. Although it has been clearly demonstrated that ruptured implants do not cause harm, women should consider potential complications when making the personal decision to have breast implants. A ruptured breast implant is one such risk. … Read More

CareCredit Healthcare Credit Card

Capitol Imaging Services has produced a short presentation that highlights the important points of the CareCredit healthcare financing program. With CareCredit, people can have assistance in paying for healthcare expenses, such as imaging exams, and spread those payments over six months with no interest being charged. CareCredit can also be used to pay for deductibles and co-payments. View our video … Read More

Radiologist In Health Care

Radiologists are doctors who specialize in the diagnosis of disease through interpreting imaging exams. Many patients would be surprised to know that after they get an imaging study, there is a physician behind the scenes who carefully reviews all of their images, and uses the provided clinical history to form a diagnosis! Radiologists interpret radiographs (x-rays), ultrasound, nuclear medicine exams, … Read More

Financing for Imaging Exams

DIS is pleased to introduce our participation in the CareCredit Healthcare Credit Card program. For over 30 years, CareCredit has been providing a valuable financing option for treatments and procedures that typically are not covered by insurance, or for times when insurance doesn’t cover the full amount. CareCredit is also used by cardholders to pay for deductibles and co-payments. CareCredit … Read More

What is a radiologist?

Radiologists are medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) who specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound. Radiologists graduate from accredited medical schools, pass a licensing examination, and then go on to complete a residency … Read More

Don’t pay through the nose!

Capitol Imaging Services says do yourself a favor and breathe easier by choosing us. At one local hospital, according to Medicare, in 2013 the average submitted charge for an MRI without the use of a contrast dye was $3,533.25. The average submitted by Capitol Imaging Services? $1,254 Hospitals and health systems across the country are known for charging exorbitant fees for … Read More

Why does my joint hurt? Ouch!

Joints form the connections between bones. They provide support and help you move. Any damage to the joints from disease or injury can interfere with your movement and cause a lot of pain. Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains, and other injuries. Joint pain is extremely common. In one national … Read More

What causes neck pain?

In a recent article, neck pain was cited as being most commonly caused by mechanical stress to the neck, such as strains or sprains to the muscles and ligaments in the neck. Of course, there are many more causes and in the article, the following were highlighted: Poor posture The part of the neck that is particularly vulnerable to forward head posture … Read More

What is a Pars fracture?

A person visited Capitol Imaging Services due to experiencing low back and right leg pain. They also had a previous medical history of lumbar spine surgery. In this particular instance, the medical provider recommended a Computerized Tomography (CT) scan that was part of a specialty nuclear medicine Image Merge study in which the two imaging techniques, CT and nuclear medicine, … Read More

What is radiculopathy?

If anyone has ever heard of this term in their discussion with their physician or health care provider, or has been examined/treated by a neurologist, Capitol Imaging Services would like to shed some light on what this condition is about. Radiculopathy is a disorder or disease of nerve roots that enter or leave the spine. Nerve roots are the lowest … Read More

What is facet arthrosis?

Each vertebra in the spinal column has a pair of facet joints, which acts as a flexible multi-directional hinge. The facet joints are located on the spine’s posterior column, or the rear of our backs. Facet arthrosis is a degenerative spinal condition like arthritis in which bony enlargements, called osteophytes or bone spurs, grow and enlarge the facet joints. Facet … Read More

The sounds of MRI

Those of us who work at Capitol Imaging Services are often asked by people, particularly those who have never had an MRI before, “I’ve heard that lots of different sounds are made by the machine. Is that true?” Yes, that is true. The sounds are made by the banging is the vibration of metal coils in the machine caused by … Read More

What is facet arthropathy?

It’s fairly common for a radiology report received by a physician, who sent a patient to Capitol Imaging Services for an exam due to back pain or discomfort, to have the report include the phrase “facet arthropathy.” What is that? The facet joints connect the vertebral bodies to one another, and like the hip and the knee, they can also … Read More

Would red wine cut heart disease risk?

February is American Heart Month. In continued recognition of this, Capitol Imaging Services shares a blog post by Ng Peng Hock posted to the Heart Disease Prevention blog: Being responsible for about 88,000 deaths in the United States, excessive alcohol consumption could lead to development of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and liver disease. This is … Read More

Can I get access to my medical records?

Numerous times throughout the year, Capitol Imaging Services (CIS) receives requests from both people and medical providers for their medical records. Our crackerjack medical records team works to quickly turn around each request, provided the correct information and paperwork is provided. There is another faster, easier way to access your medical records. That way is by using the Capitol Imaging … Read More

Wake up and smell the coffee?

Over the years, there have been numerous research studies that have come out highlighting the benefits of drinking coffee. While many understand that too much caffeine is usually not healthy, coffee in some form of moderation can often have pluses in physical health. Now, A recent study found lower levels of caffeine in the blood of people with Parkinson’s disease. … Read More

Shades of prostate cancer?

Diagnostic Imaging Services shares an informative presentation by the Prostate Cancer Research Institute regarding the different types of prostate cancer that often can result in confusion for the man receiving the diagnosis as well as his family and friends. Types of prostate cancer range from low-grade to advanced, and call for different types of treatment plans. Learn more about these … Read More

DIS hosts CereScan open house

Dr. Gregory Hipskind, M.D. conducted an educational and clinical discussion regarding brain SPECT imaging completed at DIS, and analyzed by both DIS radiologists and Dr. Hipskind at CereScan. CereScan is CereScan is one of the country’s leading providers of SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) brain imaging for patients and physicians. Unlike an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or a CT … Read More

An explanation of MRI during pregnancy

Courtesy of the American College of Radiology, Diagnostic Imaging Services shares a four-minute presentation that is especially pertinent to women who are pregnant and are recommended to undergo an MRI. In general, doctors try to delay treating a medical problem, if possible, until after pregnancy. Therefore, if your doctor orders an MRI during your pregnancy, he/she is trying to address … Read More

Hear their stories. Share yours.

Diagnostic Imaging Services shares a powerful message courtesy of the Estee Lauder Companies. We recommend having a tissue or handkerchief nearby. The dialogue is emotional and compelling.

Keeping up with DIS

Diagnostic Imaging Services shares our latest newsletter for October 2014.

What does not cause breast cancer

Over the years, many factors have been studied to see whether or not they increase the risk of breast cancer. Some of these factors have been proven to be unrelated to breast cancer and do not increase (or in some cases, decrease) risk. A full list of these factors is too long to present here. Some, however, deserve mention here … Read More

What is prostate cancer?

Diagnostic Imaging Services shares an article that offers information on the basics of prostate cancer. Since cancer is the uncontrolled and abnormal growth of cells in a certain area of the body, prostate cancer is simply the uncontrolled and abnormal growth of cells in the prostate. DIS in the only outpatient imaging provider in Louisiana and the Gulf South to … Read More

How does an MRI work?

Want a short, concise explanation about the basics of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)? Then, the video link below is for you. All you need is two minutes. Yes, there is much more to the intricacies of MRI and its value in the fiend of medical imaging, but this gives people an excellent baseline for understanding a little bit more about … Read More

What is a radiology subspecialist?

Often, Diagnostic Imaging Services is asked the question regarding radiology subspecialist. What does this exactly mean? A radiologist is a physician who uses imaging methodologies to diagnose and manage patients and provide therapeutic options. Like other physicians, a radiologist must first graduate from an accredited medical school, earn an MD degree, pass a licensing examination, perform a year of internship, and complete … Read More

Attention all savers!

Diagnostic Imaging Services believes we will save people money on their imaging exams while providing the same, if not better, quality of care. How is that possible? Click on the picture to find out more.  

Celebrating a half-century at DIS!

Diagnostic Imaging Services is honored to have Mackie as part of our organization:   FOR 50 YEARS! July marks 50 years for Mackie, a stalwart in our patient relations and communications department. She has been part of our organization since 1965. Among the number one songs on the Billboard Top 100 in 1965: Eight Days a Week — The Beatles Get … Read More

Katrina 10 years ago… a look back

Many in our area, as well as throughout the U.S. and perhaps the world, have started and will further delve into the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As part of our remembrance of where we were and where we are now, Below is a photo we are sharing that provided a bit of humorous relief during a time where … Read More

What is arthropathy?

Have you ever been told by a doctor or health care provider that you have arthropathy? Let’s make a little sense of this medical term. Arthropathy means any disease of the joints. A joint is a place where two bones contact each other. The main form of joint disease is arthritis, which is joint inflammation. There are different forms of arthritis … Read More

Like many — we have come a long way

 As the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, we thought we would share how far Diagnostic Imaging Services has come since late August 2005. Our clinics and administration areas suffered heavy damage due to the storm and its ensuing flooding and post-storm chaos. However, again, like many, we pulled together, persevered and did what we had to do collectively to … Read More

What do people think of their DIS visit?

While we know that despite our very best efforts, we will never be perfect. But, as the sports analogy goes, in trying to attain perfection, you can achieve excellence. In being an independently-owned outpatient imaging provider, Diagnostic Imaging Services wants the experience people have at one of our locations to be a memorable one — and for all the right reasons. … Read More

November is American Diabetes Month

Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life. And it does – in numbers that are dramatically increasing. In the last decade, the cases of people living with diabetes jumped almost 50 percent – to more than 29 million Americans. Worldwide, it afflicts more than 380 million people.  And the World Health Organization estimates that by 2030, that number of … Read More

Like music to my ears – literally

That’s what some MRI patients may tell you after their MRI experience at Diagnostic Imaging Services. Music is often referred to by many as life. It’s been referred to as “what feelings are like,” the shorthand of emotion” and “what makes the world go round.” We’ll add to that by saying it’s what makes undergoing a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) … Read More

Visit DIS and “Pink up the Pace”

Diagnostic Imaging Services will be hosting our first ever “PINK UP THE PACE” event on Wednesday morning, October 26, 2016. This event gives women an opportunity to learn more about mammography and women’s health, as well as make appointments for breast cancer screenings. And, while visiting DIS, take advantage of our free 10-minute chair massage, courtesy of Balance Massage! Come … Read More