X-ray or radiography uses a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the body’s internal structures. X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging. They are often used to help diagnose fractured bones, look for injury or infection and to locate foreign objects in soft tissue. Some x-ray exams may use an iodine-based contrast material or barium to help improve the visibility of specific organs, blood vessels, tissues or bone.

Mammography is a specific type of breast imaging that uses low-dose x-rays to detect cancer early—before symptoms are experienced—when it is most treatable. Mammography plays a central part in the early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before you or your physician can feel them. The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend annual mammograms for women over 40. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) adds that women who have a personal or family history of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about when they should begin screening.

Nuclear medicine imaging uses small amounts of radioactive material, a special camera and a computer to create images of the inside of your body. It provides unique information that often cannot be obtained using other imaging procedures to help diagnose many types of cancers and heart disease,  as well as gastrointestinal, endocrine, and neurological disorders. Nuclear medicine procedures may detect disease in its earliest stages when it is most easily treated because they are able to pinpoint molecular activity within the body. Positron emission tomography, also called PET imaging or a PET scan, is a type of nuclear medicine imaging.

Computed tomography (CT) uses X-rays and sophisticated computer technology to produce a series of two dimensional images and/or to generate a three dimensional image of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels. The cross-sectional images generated during a CT scan can be reformatted in multiple planes, and can even generate three-dimensional images which can be viewed on a computer monitor or transferred to electronic media. CT scanning is often the best method for detecting many different cancers, as the images allow your doctor to confirm the presence of a tumor and determine its size and location. CT is fast, painless, noninvasive and accurate. In emergency cases, it can reveal internal injuries and bleeding quickly enough to help save lives.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the body’s internal structures. These images are clearer, more detailed and more likely in some instances to identify and accurately characterize disease than other imaging methods. It is used to evaluate the body for a variety of conditions, including tumors and diseases of the liver, heart, and bowel. It may also be used to monitor an unborn child in the womb. MRI is noninvasive and does not use ionizing radiation.