Bon Secours St. Francis Health System

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A successful surgery begins with a proper diagnosis. Today, many remarkable technologies are available to help physicians identify and diagnose almost any medical condition. Most of these medical marvels are expensive to acquire and maintain. They require highly trained operators to administer the diagnostics and interpret the results.

Making sure these technologies are available to our community is a vital part of St. Francis' mission. Careful management of our resources and the support of organizations such as the St. Francis Foundation, enable St. Francis to remain on the leading edge of medical technology. Following are some of the diagnostic technologies available to physicians and patients at St. Francis.

 

This technology has been around for more than a century and remains an important diagnostic tool. With X-ray, special machines emit controlled doses of electromagnetic radiation that passes through the body and onto X-ray sensitive film. Different body structures block differing amounts of radiation and produce a contrasting photo-negative image that reveals broken bones or other abnormalities. St. Francis has X-ray facilities at ST. FRANCIS downtown, St. Francis Outpatient Center, and ST. FRANCIS eastside.

 

Unlike two-dimensional X-rays, computerized tomography (also called CT or CAT scan), combines X-rays with a computer to produce multi-dimensional images in great detail. St. Francis has CT Scanners at ST. FRANCIS downtown and ST. FRANCIS eastside. The St. Francis Outpatient Center also features the revolutionary GE Lightspeed Advantage CT scanner, which produces incredibly detailed scans in a very short time. For example, a full-body scan, which takes about 45 minutes with a traditional CT Scanner, takes about one minute with the Lightspeed CT machine.

 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, is another body "imaging" technique that aids in diagnosis. MRI is especially useful in evaluating problems involving soft tissues. St. Francis has MRI machines at ST. FRANCIS downtown and ST. FRANCIS eastside.

 

This non-invasive technology uses high-frequency sound waves to study hard-to-reach body areas. The sound waves enter the body and return echoes, which are then recorded on film. Ultrasound is used widely during pregnancy to monitor fetal development and is especially useful in diagnosing heart and eye conditions that could require surgery. St. Francis has ultrasound machines at ST. FRANCIS downtown and ST. FRANCIS eastside.The health system also provides intraoperative ultrasound technology, which enhances the treatment of cancer.

 

Mammograms are diagnostic procedures offered through the St. Francis Breast Center that use low doses of X-rays to detect breast abnormalities that physical examinations may miss. St. Francis offers a variety of breast imaging options at the St. Francis Outpatient Center and ST. FRANCIS eastside.

 

Some conditions, such as chronic Gastroesophagael Reflux Disease (GERD), ultimately require surgery. St. Francis' Gastroenrerology Labs at ST. FRANCIS downtown and ST. FRANCIS eastside. provide a number of tests, including esophageal pH monitoring and motility studies, to help your physician determine the best course of treatment for you. The labs also have equipment that permit your doctor to insert a scope and see inside your esophagus and stomach.

 

The St. Francis Heart Center provides cutting edge technology that can help determine the cause of heart disease and chest pain. Some of the tests we provide include: enzyme tests to help determine the presence and extent of heart damage; electrocardiograms (ECG) to record electrical activity in the heart; echocardiograms to check the heart muscle by using sound waves; stress testing to check blood flow through the heart while exercising, and cardiac catheterization, a radiology exam that visualizes the inside of the coronary arteries.