When you need a medical imaging test, there is no need to go anywhere else. The University Health Medical Imaging Department provides high-quality, comprehensive services at a variety of convenient locations in the Kansas City area.
Our team of registered technologists and board-certified radiologists will provide your doctor with accurate imaging results. Our goal is to obtain the highest quality images while minimizing radiation exposure to you. Many of our imaging tests use no radiation at all.
Reviewed 9/30/2022
4 facts and myths about imaging and radiation
Imaging tests are used to look inside the body. They help doctors diagnose conditions and determine the best treatments. There are various types of imaging tests, many of which use radiation. The type of imaging recommended for you will depend on the goal of the test, your condition and the part of your body being examined.
To help you understand more about imaging and radiation, here are some common myths and facts.
Myth or fact: You should avoid all radiation.
MYTH. We’re exposed to radiation every day. We get it from the air, outer space, the ground and even the food we eat. Scientists measure radiation in millisieverts (mSv). It’s estimated that the average person in the U.S. receives a dose of about 3 mSv per year just through natural means.
For comparison, the radiation you receive from an x-ray of your ankle is 0.001 mSv. That’s equal to 3 hours of natural radiation. A CT scan of your lungs imparts 1.5 mSv, or the equivalent of six months of natural radiation. Even that amount is considered a very low health risk.
If you need imaging that uses radiation, the radiologist will ensure you’re exposed to the lowest amount possible for an effective test.
Myth or fact: All imaging tests use some form of radiation.
MYTH. Plain x-rays, CT scans and nuclear scans use radiation. But ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans don’t.
An ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image. MRIs use a large magnet and radio waves.
Myth or fact: Imaging tests that use radiation are considered safe.
FACT. Many activities we think of as safe—like taking a walk—carry some degree of risk. Similarly, imaging tests that use radiation are considered safe. Radiologists use the lowest radiation possible to get effective images. It would take ultra-high levels of radiation—far more than those used in diagnostic imaging—to potentially cause cancer later in life.
Still, you want to minimize your exposure to radiation when possible. If you’re worried that your imaging test will expose you to unnecessary radiation, discuss your concerns with your doctor or the radiologist. Maybe you’ve had a similar test done recently that could provide the information they need. Or you may have the option of a different test that wouldn’t expose you to radiation.
Myth or fact: Radiation tests can make you infertile.
MYTH. Very high radiation doses can harm eggs or sperm. But the amount of radiation used in diagnostic radiology is very low. No studies have shown that low-level radiation exposure to eggs or sperm causes birth defects or miscarriage. Even cancer patients whose ovaries received fairly high levels of radiation have shown no negative lasting effects.
You can lower your risk from an imaging test by letting your doctor know if you are—or think you could be—pregnant before having the procedure. Your doctor might want to postpone or modify it to lower the amount of radiation you’ll receive.
Learn more about specific imaging tests and how they might be used.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; The Joint Commission; Radiological Society of North America
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Radiation in Healthcare: Imaging Procedures." https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/ionizing.htm.
- Radiological Society of North America. "How Big is the Risk From Medical Imaging to Future Generations? "https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=safety-hiw_14.
- Radiological Society of North America. "How Much Dose Do I Get From Different Imaging Procedures?" https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-hiw_07.
- Radiological Society of North America. "Is Diagnostic Medical Radiation Safe?" https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-hiw_02.
- Radiological Society of North America. "Radiation Dose." https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-xray.
- The Joint Commission. "Speak Up Medical Imaging. X-rays, MRIs, and Other Medical Imaging Tests." https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/for-consumers/speak-up-campaigns/medical-imaging/.
A wide range of imaging services
Whether you're looking for a 3D mammogram, a digital x-ray clinic or a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) center, we have what you need when you need it.
Some of the imaging services we offer include:
MRI exams require a physician order/referral. And you will need to schedule an appointment.
MRI is available at:
- University Health Medical Imaging Lakewood. We have an open-bore MRI scanner here at University Health Lakewood Medical Center. Open MRI units can be more comfortable for larger patients and people with claustrophobia.
- University Health Truman Medical Center Medical Imaging Department. Weekend appointments are available here.
- University Health Medical Imaging UH1.
CT exams require a physician order/referral. And you will need to schedule an appointment.
CT testing is available at:
Ultrasound exams require a physician order/referral. And you will need to schedule an appointment.
Ultrasound is available at:
- University Health Medical Imaging Lakewood.
- University Health Medical Imaging Independence.
- University Health Truman Medical Center Medical Imaging Department.
- University Health Medical Imaging UH1.
- Prenatal Ultrasound UH2. This location has some of the most advanced ultrasound technology available, including 3D, 4D and xMatrix technology for pregnancy ultrasounds.
Our imaging departments are equipped with state-of-the-art digital x-ray technology, which records image data in a digital format instead of on film.
No appointment is required for an x-ray. However, you will need a physician order/referral.
X-rays are available at:
Bone density testing and osteoporosis screening is performed with DEXA scans at:
You don't need an appointment to get a DEXA scan at these locations Monday through Friday. You will need a physician order/referral.
Nuclear medicine imaging uses radioactive tracers to acquire diagnostic information that often cannot be obtained with other imaging methods.
This technology is available at the University Health Truman Medical Center Medical Imaging Department.
A DEXA scan for body composition is available at University Health Truman Medical Center.
In less than 10 minutes, a scan can provide a highly accurate measurement of your body's composition of lean muscle and fat. Your body fat scan will tell you if you are carrying visceral fat in your abdomen around your organs. This fat is linked with increased risks for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and sleep disorders.
The scan costs $50, and you do not need a physician order/referral to have it.
In interventional radiology (IR), imaging equipment is used to guide minimally invasive procedures. Your doctor may order one of these procedures to help diagnose or treat a variety of conditions.
Experts at the University Health Truman Medical Center Medical Imaging Department perform many IR procedures, including:
- Angioplasty to repair or unblock blood vessels.
- Stenting to treat narrow or weak arteries with mesh tubes.
- Thrombolysis to dissolve blood clots.
- Embolization to treat cancer by blocking blood flow to cancer cells.
- Radiofrequency ablation to reduce nerve pain.
- Biopsies that remove and examine tissue samples to check for cancer or other diseases.
You don't need a physician order/referral to get a mammogram screening.
Mammograms are available at:
- University Health Medical Imaging Independence. This location offers 3D digital mammograms. Walk-in mammograms are available here Monday through Friday.
- University Health Medical Imaging UH1. This location offers 3D digital mammograms and is an American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. That means that the breast imaging here meets rigorous national standards; the staff is highly qualified to perform and interpret images; and the equipment and facilities meet quality and safety guidelines. Walk-in mammograms are available here Monday through Friday.