Patient Information
Before your exam
Referrals
Most diagnostic imaging exams require an appointment. All types of exams
require a written order from your physician. You must bring your
physician's written order, insurance card and a picture ID with you to your
appointment.
For women
With all types of diagnostic imaging exams, be
sure to notify the office if you are nursing, pregnant or think you may be
pregnant.
During the exam
Who is involved in the exam?
Your physician will often work with a radiologist, a physician specializing in
one or more kinds of diagnostic imaging, to assist in your diagnosis. The
radiologist generally works in coordination with a technologist who assists the patient and operates the equipment to produce
images that the radiologist will review and interpret. There are many
different kinds of technologist specialties including general diagnostic,
mammography, ultrasound, MRI and CT.
After the exam
Retaining your films
The Commonwealth of Virginia mandates that we keep adult
patient films for a period of five years. This includes all mammography films
taken within the last five years. If a patient has had only one mammogram, it is
retained for ten years from the date of last exam. Pediatric films
are retained until the patient turns 16 years of age. At that point, the standard
five-year retention period takes effect.
All outside films are returned to the originating facility unless we have been instructed to keep them with our films by the patient or a physician.
Inova Offers PACS Technology
As part of Inova's commitment to highest quality imaging services,
PACS technology (Picture Archiving Communication System) is used at
all Inova hospitals. PACS allows the radiologist to quickly and
efficiently send digital images of your exam (rather than traditional "films") to your physician.
A CD with images of your exam is available upon request.
