Radiology
Magnetic Resonance Scanning
Sansum Clinic's magnetic resonance scanner delivers exceptional imaging in a wide range of studies with quiet operation and patient-friendly design. Our GE Signa TwinSpeed scanner is able to deliver highest-quality medical images in everything from simple scans of bones and joints to advanced studies of the brain, heart, and blood vessels.
This scanner also makes magnetic resonance exams easier for patients. Compared to traditional scanners, ours is 40 percent quieter. The noise of traditional scanners can be intimidating, especially to small children. Less noise makes it easier to keep children calm and comfortable during an exam. That means we get better pictures in less time, and you get a better experience for your family. Our scanner offers unique benefits for all ages. Its large opening is nearly two feet in diameter, to accommodate larger patients and makes scans more comfortable for those people who experience claustrophobia in the smaller space of a traditional scanner.
The TwinSpeed is a dual-gradient scanner. It operates in two different modes: a whole-body mode for simpler studies, and a zoom mode for more complex studies of smaller areas. So instead of having two different scanners, we can do all our studies on this single machine and get the high-quality pictures our physicians need to determine the best course of care for our patients. Doctors also have the option of using both modes in a single exam. For example, a doctor may use the narrow zoom mode to identify a suspected cancerous tumor, then switch to the wider whole-body mode to see if the cancer has spread to other areas.
Advanced magnetic resonance scanning is one more part of our continuing commitment to provide the highest quality care available. We are pleased to make it available to our patients throughout Santa Barbara County.
Digital Mammography
Sansum Clinic is the only facility in Santa Barbara County offering digital mammography. Our goal in bringing digital mammography to Santa Barbara was to offer the most advanced technology to assist in the early detection of breast cancer.
"Annual screening mammograms are one of the most effective ways to do this — and there are many reasons that digital mammography is the best possible screening tool available today," says Dr. Kurt Ransohoff, the clinic's Medical Director and CEO.
Digital mammography is more accurate than film for significant numbers of women, according to a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. According to the study published in 2005, the accuracy of digital mammography was significantly higher than that of film mammography among women under the age of 50 years, women with heterogeneously dense or extremely dense breasts on mammography, and premenopausal or perimenopausal women.
Digital mammography has other advantages as well. It eliminates the use of films, which can be damaged or lost. As Dr. Hector Rodriguez, a radiologist with Santa Barbara Radiology Medical Group, Inc., noted in a recent article, "mammography interpretation is greatly dependent on comparison to previous exams to note subtle changes." The ability to archive past images digitally for easy and instantaneous comparisons is a tremendous improvement.
Additionally, images can be transmitted to other health providers electronically making it possible to view the results simultaneously by more than one physician. This means that your surgeon, oncologist, and radiologist can all review the results and consult on possible treatment options. Even if each is located in a different building.
Digital mammography also significantly reduces call backs. Currently, with traditional film mammography, many patients are recalled for additional imaging because the initial mammogram was not clear in one or more areas. Studies show that fewer patients are recalled for additional imaging after digital mammography. In addition to decreasing the number of women who have to experience the anxiety of a recall procedure, fewer recall exams also means less radiation exposure.
Digital mammography provides the highest resolution available along with the ability to enhance the image digitally through magnification, brightness, contrast etc.
Finally, most new advances in radiology are based on digital technology. Major academic centers such as Northwestern University, the University of California at San Francisco, Stanford, and M.D. Anderson are installing digital mammography.