Thursday, June 19, 2014

Low-Dose CT Scans: The Answer to Reducing Radiation Exposure


Imaging tests are vital to doctors for discovering and diagnosing disease and injury. CT (Computed Tomography) scans can mean the difference between life and death. But that doesn't mean they should be administered without thought to the amount of radiation they expose you to. Think about it. At some point, you've likely had a CT scan or will have a CT scan performed. But do you know how much radiation was used? At Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, new CT software significantly reduces radiation exposure and improves image quality, surpassing most CT systems in use today. And the radiation dose is documented in your report each time you have a CT scan, so it can become part of your medical record.

Depending on the imaging test used and the part of the body focused on, radiation levels vary. However, if you’re facing health issues, the benefits of having a CT scan greatly outweigh the risk of receiving a small amount of radiation. But it makes sense to be as mindful as possible.

Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology follows the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), and participates in Image Wisely and Image Gently, awareness programs that encourage smart medical imaging by eliminating unnecessary scans and using lower radiation doses. Patients are exposed only to the minimum amount of radiation needed to form an accurate diagnosis. SAFIRE, dose reduction software used in the low-dose CT scans at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, utilizes a complex algorithm to minimize graininess that results from imaging at a low dose and can mean up to a sixty percent dose reduction.

How do you prepare? Click here. What happens during the test? Click here.


Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology is dedicated to providing Long Island with the latest CT technology, which greatly reduces the radiation dose to patients while still maintaining the highest resolution. You can be assured that our CT technologists and radiologists are fully dedicated to your comfort and safety.

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