Patients

What do we expect from our patients

• Arrive on time to avoid any possible delays.
• You may be asked to dress in to a patient gown.
• Bring all your relevant information such as Medicare card, Private Health if you are paying privately and your referral.

X-ray

What is X-ray?

General X-Ray, or radiography, is an exam that captures clear, precise images using radiation.

Radiation, a form of energy, exists in nature and emanates from the atmosphere and earth. As with many naturally-occurring substances, radiation, in moderation, is considered harmless.

X-Ray beams can pass through the human body. When they strike a detector, they produce a picture. Our top-of-the line X-ray system has low dose to minimize radiation exposure to the patient.

How long does the x-ray take?

Most examinations take less than 15 minutes.

Is there any preparation required?

No preparation is required for general X-Ray, but may be required for other X-Ray procedures involving X-Rays.

Ultrasound

What is ultrasound?

An ultrasound is an imaging examination that uses high frequency sound waves to create pictures of various parts of the body. The reflected sound wave echoes are recorded and displayed as real-time visual images. Ultrasound uses no radiation and a technician called a sonographer performs the scan.

How long does the ultrasound take?

Examinations can take from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the type of ultrasound your doctor has requested.

Abdominal ultrasound prepara?on

Do not eat or drink anything from 6 hours before your examination. Do not smoke during this period either. An overnight fast with no breakfast and early morning appointment is the most ideal way to fulfill this preparation.

Renal / Pelvic / Obstetric ultrasound preparation

The examination requires a full bladder. We recommend you empty your bladder 2 hours before the examination and immediately start to drink 1 liter of water and finish drinking 1 hour before the examination. Hold on to a full bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty. We require a full bladder but you should not be so full that you are in pain. A good idea is to practice the day before your examination the drinking preparation just mentioned and to adjust the amount of water you drink, depending on whether your bladder fills up slowly or quickly.

Dental Imaging

What is dental x-ray?

Dental x-rays and scans are used to look at the teeth and jaw.

How long does the dental x-ray takes?

Most OPG scans take less than 10 minutes.

What types of Dental X-rays are there?

• Orthopantomogram (OPG)
• Posteroanterior (p-a) cephalometric radiograph (pa Ceph)
• Lateral Cephalometry (Lat Ceph).

How to Prepare for a Dental X-ray?

No preparation is needed for a dental x-ray and you will not be required to change into a gown. However, you will be asked to remove any jewellery or metallic items from your neck and head area.

What is lateral ceph?

Lateral cephalometric is the most common cephalometric exam. It is a plan x-ray of the lateral side o. It helps the treatment physician to see a full patient profile including the teeth, jaw, skull and soft tissue.

How long does the lateral ceph exam take?

Cephalometric scan takes an average of 5 to 10 minutes.

CT

A CT (Computerised Tomography) scan is another type of x-ray that uses ionising radiation to take images of the human body. They pass through the body to create cross-sectional images as you move through the scanner.

Is CT scan safe?

The doctor who has requested your CT scan has done so with the knowledge that the benefits of finding a diagnosis outweigh any harm from the small doses of radiation used. The medical imaging technologist who performs your x-rays is highly trained in the "ALARA principle", which stands for "as low as reasonably achievable". This means the lowest radiation dose possible will be used in order to provide diagnostic images for our radiologist to review.

More information on ionising radiation and health can be found here:
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/radiationprotection/Factsheets/is_ionising.cfm

What happens after I've had the contrast dye?

Immediately following your CT scan you will be monitored for 10 minutes to ensure all side effects from the contrast dye have passed. There are no known long-term side effects. You may be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids to help ‘flush’ the dye through your system and be able to eat and drink as normal following your scan.