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

What is a bone spur and how are they diagnosed?

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

What is the role of a radiologist within 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

Why do we sometimes ask if you are diabetic or have kidney disease?

Some imaging exams, like CT or MRI scans, may require that you be given an injection of contrast medium into a vein. It is typically administered in your arm like when you have blood drawn, and it looks like IV fluid. Imaging is then taken of the area of concern. The contrast medium makes the vascular structures in your body … Read More

Drug company says it will stop paying doctors to promote drugs

From the New York Times, published December 17, 2013: December 16, 2013 — The British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline will no longer pay doctors to promote its products and will stop tying compensation of sales representatives to the number of prescriptions doctors write, its chief executive said Monday, effectively ending two common industry practices that critics have long assailed as troublesome … Read More

Capitol Imaging Services affiliate voted best medical testing facility

For the third year in a row, a Capitol Imaging Services affiliate has been designate as the best of the best! Our Southeast Louisiana network member, Diagnostic Imaging Services (DIS), was chosen by the readers of EDGE Magazine published in St. Tammany Parish. Diagnostic Imaging Services has been serving the greater New Orleans metropolitan market, the state of Louisiana and … Read More

A New Year’s resolution suggestion: ask how much that test will cost!

Would you be upset if you received a medical bill for what most would consider to be an outrageous amount of money for a simple test? That’s what one person experienced with a charge of nearly $12,500 for lab work! This story, published by National Public Radio in December 2020, illustrates the continuing issue in healthcare: exorbitant fees charged by … Read More

Why a physician refers all her patients to Capitol Imaging Services

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

Diagnostic Imaging Services will go red for women

National Wear Red Day was on Friday, February 5, 2021. Every year, the first Friday of February has been dedicated to National Wear Red Day as an awareness day for American women to understand their number one health threat – heart disease. Affiliate partners of Capitol Imaging Services participated in observing National Wear Red Day. If you visited our clinics, … Read More

Why the link between childhood cancer and CT scans may be overblown

Another study is adding to the growing body of evidence that CT scans in childhood can be linked to cancer later on. The new study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, looked at seven U.S. health care systems and the use of CT scans on the head, abdomen, pelvis, chest and spine in kids under age 15. CT scans are considered one of … Read More

One percent of COVID-19 patients hospitalized will develop brain complications

According to a large international study that was presented at a national radiology conference in Chicago, IL, one in every 100 people who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 will “likely develop” complications of the Central Nervous System (CNS). According to the article on the study, found on the online version of Applied Radiology, “Much has been written about the overall … Read More

Scientists located biomarkers for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A few years ago, researchers trying to find the key to a mysterious group of digestive ailments located a number of biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Their discovery is part of the efforts to lead to earlier diagnoses and intervention for individuals still asymptomatic. A team of scientists from the University of Cincinnati analyzed data from the Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR), a … Read More

State-of-the-art MRI coming to our Covington, LA imaging center

Capitol Imaging Services continues our commitment to providing the latest screening and diagnostic testing technology to serve both the people of the Southeastern U.S. and medical and healthcare providers. At our Diagnostic Imaging Services center in Covington, LA, we are pleased to announce the upcoming installation of a General Electric 450w high field MRI. This MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) systems … 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

Customer service stinks

The above is from a quote in an article about television news personality John Stossel, when he revealed that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The cancer isn’t really what’s bothering him. It’s the service he was receiving this week at a New York hospital. He wrote: “My doctors tell me my growth was caught early and I’ll be fine,” … 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 an MRI identifies for confirming and monitoring multiple sclerosis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging of the brain and spinal cord is the most common diagnostic tool to confirm the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and to monitor disease activity. MRI scans reveal abnormalities in the majority (90% to 95%) of people with MS. Although brain lesions are more common than spinal cord lesions, imaging of both brain and spinal cord … 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

Why one medical provider prefers Capitol Imaging Services

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

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

DIS Women’s Center awarded Breast Center of Excellence designation

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

I can’t fight this feeling

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

You Night New Orleans 2017: groovy baby

Thursday, July 27, 2017 was a night for celebration on the victories won over cancer. They were celebrated by beautiful women, their families and friends who cheered them on with thunderous applause at the You Night New Orleans 2017 Runway Fashion Show. With a 1960’s British invasion theme, it was indeed “groovy baby!” From the hosts, Dr. Evil, Austin Powers … 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

March is designated as 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

Study reveals new patient insights about radiation therapy tattoos

© The Breast Journal, Vol 26 No 5 September/October 2019 Radiation therapy tattoos have been used for decades to set up and position patients for treatment, but did you know that new evidence suggests that as much as 78% of patients strongly prefer not to have tattoos or marks? In a quantitative study published in an issue of The Breast … Read More

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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

What is the intrinsic value of a radiologist?

Radiologists play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. They are medical doctors who are licensed and specially trained to use medical imaging technologies. Your physician or other medical provider, such as a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, may refer you to a radiologist for testing as straightforward as an x-ray (called a radiograph by a radiologist) … 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

Entertainer and breast cancer survivor urges mammograms

Fourteen years ago, a singer/songwriter/entertainer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately for this performer, Sheryl Crow, it was detected early at stage one — according to Crow all thanks were given to her annual mammogram — and she has made a complete recovery. Recently, People magazine published an article stating that Crow is “concerned” about the decline in breast cancer … Read More

CPT Codes and why you need to know what they are

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

Diagnostic Imaging Services joins the Capitol Imaging Services affiliate network

As Diagnostic Imaging Services (DIS) approaches its fifth decade of service to the greater New Orleans and southeast Louisiana regions, change often is inevitable. The only thing that stays the same is change. Over the past year, DIS has undergone its own changes in going from its own imaging organization into one that is larger and stronger. We’ve done that … Read More

Diagnostic Imaging Services named Top Winner for fifth year in a row

CityBusiness New Orleans has released the results of their “best of” issue for 2021, covering many different business and service sectors throughout the greater New Orleans and southeast Louisiana areas. One area was medical imaging and a Capitol Imaging Services network affiliate was recognized for the fifth straight year! We are proud to announce that once again, Diagnostic Imaging Services … 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

Scientists solve a 30-year breast cancer puzzle

In a new study published in Cell Reports, scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center demonstrate that mice lacking one copy of a gene called CTCF have abnormal DNA methylation and are markedly predisposed to cancer. CTCF is a very well-studied DNA binding protein that exerts a major influence on the architecture of the human genome, but had not been previously … Read More

What is ultrasound-guided breast biopsy?

Lumps or abnormalities in the breast are often detected by physical examination, mammography, or other imaging studies. However, it is not always possible to tell from these imaging tests whether a growth is benign or cancerous. A breast biopsy is performed to remove some cells—either surgically or through a less invasive procedure involving a hollow needle—from a suspicious area in the breast … Read More

Your health insurance benefits: things you should know to save money

IF YOUR EXAM IS COVERED BY PRIVATE INSURANCE: To control costs, your insurer negotiates with imaging providers on your behalf for a “contracted rate.” The contracted rate is the maximum amount that an imaging provider can collect for a covered service, and is usually less than the standard charge. What is not widely known is that the contracted rate is … Read More

Cancer center ads focus on emotions more than facts, study finds

TUESDAY, May 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — TV and magazine ads for U.S. cancer centers are heavy on emotional appeal, but light on the facts that patients need to know, a new study finds. In an analysis of more than 400 ads that ran nationwide, researchers found that few gave objective information on cancer treatment benefits or risks. Instead, the … Read More

Lawmakers urge Medicare coverage for cancer test

More than 130 lawmakers are urging the Obama administration to expand coverage for a lung-cancer test under Medicare that could cost the program billons, calling the screening important for vulnerable seniors. In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the lawmakers called for a timely decision on coverage for low-dose CT scans for older patients at higher … Read More