Health Resources:

Breast Health Getting regular checkups and performing breast self-exams are two important ways to keep your breasts healthy.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women (other than skin cancer). The American Cancer Society reports the breast cancer death rate is declining, probably because of earlier detection and improved treatment. This short assessment will help you determine if you have major risk factors for breast cancer.

Seeing more than meets the eye is the goal of imaging services at Fannin Regional Hospital. Whether it’s an ultrasound, CT scan or mammogram, taking a picture of what’s happening inside your body can help physicians reach the proper diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Our staff consists of Board Certified Radiologists and Registered Technologists.

With care and compassion, the medical staff of our radiology department offers a full range of services with these tools:

• Computerized tomography (CT) creates detailed images of your body’s internal organs using X-rays with computer technology. The doughnut-shaped scanner uses radiation to create cross-sectional images, or “slices,” that help physicians detect tumors, heart disease or internal injuries or bleeding. A CT scan may require that you not eat or drink if you have to drink a contrast liquid—which helps healthcare providers see body structures more clearly—or have a contrast dye injected before the test. The exam usually lasts less than an hour, including any preparations, though the actual scan may only last a minute or two. Fannin Regional Hospital uses a Toshiba 16 slice CT Scanner. 
   
• Mammography, a special X-ray of the breasts, can detect lumps and other forms of breast disease that may be too small to be felt even by an experienced examiner. Early detection affords the best opportunity for a cure.
   
  Fannin Regional Hospital's mammography service is accrediated by The American College of Radiology. The accreditation is awarded to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment.
   
• Nuclear medicine uses tiny amounts of radioactive materials to perform heart studies and diagnose bone cancer, bone infections and stress fractures. The radioactive materials are introduced into the patient’s body by injection, swallowing or inhalation. Special cameras that work with computers detect the radioactive materials to provide sharp images of the body.
   
• Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to evaluate organs in the body and commonly to examine fetal development. Detailed images are returned in real time, making ultrasound particularly helpful for guiding minimally invasive procedures—such as needle biopsies—and for visualizing organ, blood vessel and tissue movement.
  
• Bone densitometry measures the density of the spine, hip and other bones—the most frequent sites of fracture—and compares it to an established norm to produce a score. This number helps your physician determine your risk of developing osteoporosis. A bone density test is a relatively simple, quick and painless way to determine your bone health.

The specialized services include Doppler U/S, Myelography, Thallium Scans, Echo Cardiograms, and guided Biopsies with either Ultrasound or C/T. Radiology also provides MRI services one day a week.

If you need an imaging study, you can feel confident in Fannin Regional Hospital’s technology and the extensively trained team.

Early detection is key!

When it comes to disease, early diagnosis is key to effective treatment. If you need advanced imaging, you can get it close to home at Fannin Regional Hospital.