Patient Education

Arash M. Padidar, would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with us. We will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

We welcome you to our practice and look forward to caring for you.

Arash M. Padidar, provides a full range of medical services including the following:

4-D Ultrasound

One use of ultrasound is to create images of a fetus to provide information about its age and heart rate, and whether birth defects are present. Diagnostic fetal ultrasound has always created two-dimensional images. Advances in technology, however, have led to four-dimensional (4-D) ultrasound, which takes real-time images that are used to create a video of the fetus in motion. Almost always elective, a 4-D ultrasound does not replace a diagnostic ultrasound to evaluate the age and anatomy of the fetus. Although it is not considered a standard prenatal test, it may be helpful in identifying certain birth defects, such as cleft lip/palate, or problems with the placenta, that may not be visible on a routine two-dimensional ultrasound. ...

Abdominal MRI Scan

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan) of the abdomen is a diagnostic test that produces detailed images of any area within the abdominal cavity. The MRI uses strong magnets and radio waves to create these images, not X-rays. A single MRI produces dozens, or even hundreds, of images, known as slices, that can be stored on a computer or printed out on film. This test is multifunctional and can be used to detect or locate a number of conditions. ...

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, also called internal radiation to distinguish it from external beam radiation, is an alternative form of radiation therapy to treat malignancies. It delivers X-ray beams directly to the site of a tumor, placing radioactive material inside the body. This allows for a higher total dose of radiation over a shorter time frame than traditional radiation therapy. It also protects normal tissue from unnecessary exposure to radioactive material. ...

Breast Ultrasound

A breast ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging test used to examine the tissues inside the breast. By exposing the breasts to high-frequency sound waves, images of the breast tissue are created. These images are captured in real time and can show internal movement as well as blood flow within the blood vessels in the area. ...

Chest CT Scan FAQs

A CT scan is an an imaging procedure that uses special X-ray imaging equipment to create a series of highly detailed pictures, or scans, of areas including hard and soft tissue inside the body. The procedure is non-invasive, requires minimal radiation exposure, and can simultaneously depict tissues of different densities, which is not possible with traditional X-ray methods. ...

Computed Tomography Scan

Computed tomography (CT) scan is a sophisticated X-ray imaging system that scans thin "slices" of the body on all sides, then combines those slices into a highly detailed, three-dimensional digital image of hard and soft tissues in the body. The procedure is non-invasive, requires minimal radiation exposure, and can simultaneously depict tissues of different densities, which is not possible with traditional X-ray methods. ...

Digital X-ray

Digital X-rays are a sophisticated type of X-ray imaging in which digital sensors substitute for traditional photographic film. All X-rays make use of electromagnetic waves to produce images of internal parts of the body. For most purposes, digital X-rays are an improvement over conventional X-rays because they are more efficient and provide more easily transferable computer images of bones and other internal organs. With digital X-rays, the images are available immediately for viewing, with no development step in between, eliminating the need for photo development, transport of the film, and additional transport of the film to the radiologist. ...

Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy

A fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is used to determine whether or not suspicious growths found in the body are cancerous. It is often used for biopsies of breast tissue or of the thyroid gland. Unlike a surgical biopsy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a nonsurgical procedure requiring minimal downtime. It is fast and relatively painless, and most often provides accurate results. ...

Fluoroscopy

Fluoroscopy is an X-ray imaging technique that produces a video of internal body structures in motion. During a fluoroscopy, X-ray beams are passed through the region of the body that is being examined, producing video images that are transmitted to a monitor. In this way, the targeted area can be viewed in detail. Fluoroscopy is an effective tool to evaluate the function of almost all the body's systems, including the digestive, urinary, cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and reproductive. Fluoroscopy can be used on its own as a diagnostic tool, or in combination with other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. ...

Head and Neck Computed Tomography Scan

A head and neck computed tomography (CT) scan is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses multiple X-rays to create cross-sectional views of the head and neck areas. A CT scan of the head and neck enables a radiologist to see images of the neck, skull, brain, sinuses and eye sockets. A CT scan is painless, and its images are clearer and more detailed than those of a traditional X-ray. ...

Head and Neck MRI

A head and neck magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) uses a magnetic field, radiofrequency impulses and a computer to produce detailed images of the organs, soft tissues, and bones within the head and neck region. Once the images are created, they can be viewed on a computer monitor, copied to a CD or transmitted electronically. ...

Hepatobiliary Scan

A hepatobiliary scan (HIDA scan), also called a cholescintigraphy, is an imaging test used to diagnose problems in the hepatobiliary tract, the region that includes the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. During the scan, a radioactive tracer is injected into the patient's arm to replicate the pathway bile takes in the body. A machine called a nuclear medicine scanner then tracks the tracer as it moves from the liver, where bile is produced, into the gallbladder, where bile is stored, and then into the small intestine, where bile aids in the digestion of fats. Imaging and data are recorded on a computer for future analysis. ...

Integrated PET-CT Scan

An integrated PET-CT scan combines images from a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, a type of nuclear medicine imaging, and a computed tomography (CT) scan, which produces multiple three-dimensional X-ray images (slices). The two types of scans are performed simultaneously on the same machine. The combined scan gives more information than either scan alone would provide because the CT scan provides detailed images of organs and tissues, while the PET scan detects any abnormal activity in the body. ...

Magnetic Resonance Angiography

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a diagnostic test that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of blood vessels and blood flow within the body. MRA can help doctors detect, diagnose and treat blood vessel disorders and diseases such as stroke, aneurysm, clots, obstructions, and vascular disease in the heart, head, major organs, and extremities. ...

Mammogram

A mammogram is an X-ray examination of the breast that is performed to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages, often before any signs or symptoms are present. Mammograms allow early detection of small tumors, which are easier to treat than larger, more developed ones. They can also detect ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), small abnormal growths in a breast's milk ducts. Early removal of these growths helps to reduce the risk of future problems. ...

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive, radiation-free scanning technology that is used to view detailed images of the tissues and organs within the body. During an MRI test, radio waves and magnetic fields are used to produce clear and detailed three-dimensional images of organs, as well as the hard and soft tissues throughout the body. ...

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is a division of radiology that uses small amounts of radioactive material to evaluate, diagnose and treat disease conditions. Nuclear medicine examinations and imaging tests use radioactive substances to create uniquely detailed images that enable physicians to examine both the anatomy and function of various regions of the body. ...

Obstetrical Ultrasound

Obstetrical ultrasound is a safe, noninvasive procedure that uses sound waves to create images of the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid. These images can be viewed in real time on a computer monitor by both patient and doctor. These are the first images parents are able to see of their unborn child. ...

Open MRI Scan

Magnetic resonance imaging, also known as MRI, is a non-invasive, radiation-free scanning technology that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to produce clear and detailed three-dimensional images of organs and hard and soft tissues throughout the body. While a safe and effective diagnostic test, an MRI can be intimidating to some patients because it requires that the patient be enclosed in a narrow tunnel for the duration of the procedure, typically 30 minutes to 1 hour. The open MRI offers an option for the same accurate imaging without the confinement that some people find disturbing. Open MRI scans are not available at all testing locations ...

Pelvic MRI

A pelvic MRI is a minimally invasive diagnostic test performed to obtain images of the pelvis, the area between the hipbones. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive, radiation-free scanning technology that is used to view detailed images of the tissues and organs within the body. During an MRI scan, radio waves and magnetic fields are used to produce clear and detailed three-dimensional images of organs, as well as the hard and soft tissues throughout the body. ...

Pelvic Ultrasound

An ultrasound, also known as a sonogram, is a painless imaging technique that produces images of internal organs through the use of high-frequency sound waves. It is a noninvasive, simple procedure that produces images of soft tissues, which often don't show up well on X-rays. A pelvic ultrasound is commonly used to view the abdominal organs, male and female reproductive organs, and to obtain images of a fetus in the womb. There is no ionizing radiation used during an ultrasound and there are no serious side effects associated with this procedure. ...

PET Scan

Positron emission tomography, also known as a PET scan, is a diagnostic test that captures images of biological functions. The images provide information about cell biochemistry and metabolism that can help diagnose a variety of diseases and other conditions. PET imaging measures energy emitted from a radioactive substance that is ingested prior to the procedure. The injected material, detected through radioactive particles called positrons, interacts with body tissue to produce gamma radiation, which provides information about cell biochemistry and metabolism. ...

SPECT Scan

A SPECT scan, or single-photon emission computerized tomography, is a nuclear imaging test that provides 3-dimensional (3-D) pictures of internal organs. Not only does the SPECT scan delineate the organs' structures, it shows the functions of the organs as well. A SPECT scan combines the use of a radioactive tracer and a camera that takes 3-D pictures in order to achieve accurate and detailed results. SPECT scans are commonly used to diagnose or monitor disorders of the heart, brain or bones, but may also be used to provide information about other areas of the body. ...

Ultrasound

An ultrasound, also known as a sonogram, is a fast, painless imaging technique that produces images of the internal organs through the use of high-frequency sound waves. It is especially useful for examining the breasts, bladder, thyroid, abdominal organs and male and female reproductive organs, and for obtaining images of the fetus in the womb. ...

Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy

Ultrasound is an excellent way to evaluate breast abnormalities detected by mammography, but in some cases it is not possible to tell from the imaging studies alone whether a growth is benign or cancerous. Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy is a highly accurate way to evaluate suspicious masses within the breast that are visible on ultrasound, whether or not they can be felt on breast self-examination or clinical examination. ...