Diagnostic Radiology

Diagnostic Radiology can be used to identify a wide range of problems, as well as monitor how your body is responding to a current treatment.

Examples of diagnostic radiology include:

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is a subspecialty of radiology which involves the use of radioactive medication (radiopharmaceuticals) to diagnose and treat disease. Radiopharmaceuticals can be used to treat hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, solid tumors and bone metastases.

In nuclear medicine, radioactive materials are usually injected into a vein but are sometimes swallowed or inhaled. A gamma camera tracks the movement of the radiopharmaceuticals from outside the body by detecting the gamma radiation emitted by the medication.

Nuclear medicine tests and procedures performed by Dr. Nabeel Dar, Dr. Frank Quattromani and Dr. Roy Jacob include:

• PET/CT Scans
• Ventilation/perfusion scans
• HIDA scans
• Parathyroid/Thyroid imaging
• Iodine therapy
• Bone scans

Neuroradiology

Neuroradiology is a field specializing in the use of radioactive substances, x-rays and scanning devices for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the nervous system. UMC offers two experts in clinical imaging and intervention of the brain, spine, head and neck: Dr. Nabeel Dar and Dr. Roy Jacob. They perform imaging procedures such as:

• MRI of brain, spine, neck, face, temporomandibular joints, orbits, brachial plexus 
• Perfusion scans 
• Diffusion tensor imaging
• Functional MRI
• CT scan of the brain, spine, face, sinus, temporal bones, head and neck vessels
• Myelograms of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine
• PET scan of brain

Musculoskeletal imaging

Musculoskeletal imaging is imaging of the bones, joints and soft tissues associated with them. Dr. Kulia Kakarala is specially trained to interpret these types of images:

• MRI imaging of extremity and joints
• CT imaging of extremity and joints
• MRI/CT arthrograms
• Joint injections and aspirations

Emergency radiology

Emergency radiology is a subspecialty devoted to the diagnostic imaging and diagnosis of trauma and non-traumatic emergency conditions. This includes:

• X-rays
• CT
• Ultrasound
• MRI

Cardiac Imaging

Cardiac Imaging is devoted to the diagnostic imaging and diagnosis of diseases of the heart and vascular or circulatory system (including blood and lymphatic vessels). A cardiac radiologist uses imaging techniques such as X-rays, ultrasound (echocardiograms), CT scans and MRI scans to screen for heart disease.

Cardiac imaging procedures include:

• CT Coronary Angiography
• Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring
• Cardiac MRI