The Very Image of Service

We are pleased that you have decided to have your imaging study at Spring Hill Regional Hospital. We will do everything possible to make your visit as comfortable as possible. We hope the following information is helpful in answering most of your questions about medical imaging and in answering some of the "unknowns" about your testing. Should you have additional questions, we encourage you to ask your nurse, technologist or radiologist at the time of your testing.

Our Radiologists

Our radiologists are highly-trained physicians who have completed at least five years of specialized training after medical school. Our Diagnostic Imaging Department is also staffed with Board Certified and Licensed Technologists.

Diagnostic Imaging Services

Our Diagnostic Imaging Department provides state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities with a caring touch to our inpatients, outpatients and emergency room patients. Our department plays a vital role in your overall treatment process. Most diagnostic studies have crossed into the digital age, which allows doctors to enhance and manipulate the images to get the best possible view. It also means that files can be transmitted electronically by computers so doctors can consult with one another in remote locations when necessary. 

Our Diagnostic Imaging Department is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency patients and inpatients.  Outpatient appointments are scheduled from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, through our One-Call Center by calling 352-684-7555. Walk-ins are accommodated for many procedures which don't require preparation. If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment call our One Call Center at least 24 hours in advance.

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac Catheterization, also known as a coronary angiogram, gives our interventional cardiologists the most sophisticated look available at how the heart, its arteries and valves are functioning. During this minimally- invasive diagnostic procedure, the physician uses a tiny tube called a catheter, which is guided through the groin or arm vessels under X-ray (fluoroscopic) guidance to the heart. Dye is injected and the physician views the heart's function on a monitor.

CT and CT Angiography

We offer some of the most sophisticated equipment available including CT and CT Angiography. Our superfast CT scanner produces split-second, high quality images, permitting doctors to see more anatomical detail in a fraction of the time needed for other tests. With our new CT scanner, doctors are able to more effectively detect and treat a range of life-threatening illnesses including cardiovascular disease, the nation's leading killer. The leap in acquisition speed makes advanced applications such as whole body CT angiography (CTA) routine. It's also able to detect most aortic aneurysms and is also useful in stent placement.

Echocardiography

An echocardiogram (also called an echo) is a type of ultrasound test that uses high-pitched sound waves that are sent through a device called a transducer. The device picks up echoes of the sound waves as they bounce off the different parts of your heart. These echoes are turned into moving pictures of your heart that can be seen on a video screen.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI is a non-invasive test that uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissue, bone and virtually all other internal body structures.  This test can help your physician diagnose and treat medical conditions. Spring Hill has one of the highest resolutions MRI systems available, enabling faster and higher resolution scans and an image quality that could potentially result in earlier, more accurate diagnoses. Because of the level of detail it provides, this MRI is useful in diagnosing a variety of medical conditions, including brain and nervous system disorders, cardiovascular and organ disease. We also perform breast imaging and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) which gives an excellent view of the blood vessels of the body.

Mammography & CAD

 Our ACR accredited Mammography unit is staffed by registered mammographers who perform both screening and diagnostic mammograms.

Screening mammograms detect the presence or absence of breast conditions or diseases, and are performed on women with no abnormal symptoms. These screenings do not require a physician's order/prescription, however we do need the name of your current physician.  

Diagnostic mammograms are more detailed studies used to look at fine detail areas in the breast when examining for cysts, fibrous tissue, calcium deposits and cancer. A physician's order is required for a diagnostic mammogram. 

Spring Hill Regional is equipped with the latest Computer Aided Detection (CAD) technology. CAD systems use computer software to search mammograms for abnormal areas of density, mass, or calcification that may indicate the presence of cancer, and alerts the radiologist to the need for further analysis. This can help doctors detect breast cancers earlier than screening mammography alone, helping to save lives and enhancing treatment options.

Appointments for a mammography are available by calling our Scheduling Specialist at (352)684-7555.

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine uses small, safe amounts of radioactive materials to help diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases and disorders. The materials are injected or swallowed and travel to the intended organ for study. A special gamma camera records the radioactivity in the form of images. Nuclear Medicine exams place a greater emphasis on evaluation of organ function than on organ structure. For example, these studies can be used to look at how blood flows to various organs such as the heart and lungs, the function of the heart, and the respiratory process in the lungs, or they can be used to determine the presence or spread of cancer.

Nuclear medicine imaging procedures can often identify abnormalities very early in the progress of a disease.  Common nuclear tests include:

Bone Scans

Nuclear Stress Tests

Liver Scans

Gallbladder Studies

Renal Scans

Thyroid Studies

Ultrasound

Ultrasound (also called sonography) is a painless procedure which uses sound waves, not radiation, to image the structure of the body's organs and blood flow through the vessels. It is often used to determine the size of a fetus, probability of multiple births and to detect possible abnormalities in the pregnancy. Ultrasound may also be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies, to image the breasts and guide breast biopsies, to diagnose a variety of heart conditions and assess damage after a heart attack or other illness. Our Ultrasound unit is accredited by the American College of Radiology for OB/GYN and abdominal testing.

X-Rays

An x-ray (radiograph) helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Radiography is the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging. Exposure to radiation during pregnancy may produce birth defects. Always tell your physician and technologist if you are, or suspect you might be, pregnant. Routine diagnostic studies include chest x-rays and bone x-rays for injuries or fractures. Other tests include barium studies (upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, contrast studies (such as IVPs and hysterosalpingograms and fluoroscopy studies).