Imaging Services

Accurately diagnosing the cause of a medical problem is the first step in planning effective treatment. In Douglas County, doctors depend on area radiologists and the Mercy Imaging Services staff and sophisticated equipment for the specialized diagnostic assistance they need to treat their patients.

Mercy Imaging Services performs a full range of diagnostic procedures including CT scanning, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), nuclear medicine, stereotactic breast needle biopsy, ultrasound, vascular lab studies, as well as general X-ray.

Mercy's Newest MRI

Mercy Medical Center has acquired the latest in MRI technology from GE Medical Systems. The new system, installed Oct. 2, makes Mercy one of only two sites on the West Coast (the other is Stanford Medical Center in California) to feature the new system from GE. The new wide open system provides a more patient-friendly scanning environment. In addition, technologists and doctors have better access to patients during an exam. The design will also allow us to expand the clinical use of an MRI system into areas such as cardiac, neurology, stroke evaluation, and angiography.

Before Having a Biopsy

Each year about half a million American women have surgery for biopsies of the breast. For most women, however, open surgery is not required to achieve a successful biopsy.

A procedure called stereotactic breast needle biopsy has proved an effective alternative to open surgery both nationally and in the Roseburg area, where it has been available since 1994 through Mercy Medical Center and Roseburg Radiologists, P.C.

Biopsies are performed when a radiologist detects an area of concern on a woman's mammogram. While mammograms are effective at finding abnormalities in breast tissue, they cannot determine if they are benign or malignant (cancerous). A biopsy enables a physician to obtain samples of the suspicious tissue, which can be studied to determine if cancer is present.

If you would like to learn more about stereotactic breast needle biopsy or other alternatives available in the Roseburg area, we encourage you to call Mercy Outpatient Imaging at 677-4418.