X-Ray Imaging Services

North Valley Hospital offers a wide range of imaging services using some of the latest technology and employs the newest diagnostic and treatment techniques, just like larger suburban hospitals. But there is one important difference. Here you’re a person, not a number. So you’re treated with that extra personal attention that only your community hospital can give.

Imaging services provided include:

• Diagnostic Imaging
• CT SCAN
• Screening and Diagnostic Mammography
• Ultrasound

The Radiologist will analyze the images and send a signed report with his or her interpretation to the patient's personal physician. The personal physician's office will inform the patient how to obtain their results.

Certified and Registered Radiology and Imaging Technologists are available to provide imaging services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information on imaging services provided by North Valley Hospital, please call 509-486-2151. 

Most people are familiar with common x-ray procedures. X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, are invisible, and create no sensation when they pass through the body.  Modern x-ray techniques only use a fraction of the x-ray dose required in the early days of radiology.  Radiation risks are minimized by the use of high-speed x-ray film that does not require much radiation to produce an optimal image.

Computerized Tomography, also known as CT or CAT scan, is an advanced form of x-ray.  It provides greater detail in the images and allows us to look more closely at organs that cannot be seen as clearly with regular x-ray.

Mammography is an x-ray of the breasts that provides the sharpest images available of the breast's inner structure.  The advanced screening capability of a mammogram greatly improves survival of women because it identifies a site of breast cancer early in its development when it is very small, before it is large enough to be felt as a lump.  Mammography can detect breast cancer before it can spread to other parts of the body.

Ultrasound uses sound waves that are above the range of human hearing to create an image of organs within the body.  Sound waves are reflected off internal body structures and back to the ultrasound machine.  The reflected sound waves are analyzed by computer and turned into pictures.  The Ultrasound Technologist will apply a warm gel to the skin and move a transducer over the body part being examined.  It is a completely safe and painless procedure.

As you can tell, the Radiology Technologists did a terrific job showing off of the equipment!  You will find them to be helpful and they definately will bring you some cheer while you are at the hospital.