The month of June is dedicated to bringing awareness to men’s health and the team at Atlantic Medical Imaging encourages men to take control of their health by seeking regular medical advice as well as early diagnosis and treatment for disease and injury.
Studies show that men are not as forward as women when it comes to discussing health issues or concerns with their doctors. Men are more prone to several diseases than women, but some can be prevented or caught early if men take the time to get checked out.
Preventive care, such as screenings, is important for discovering diseases at the beginning stages and helps determine the best treatment options. Keeping up with your medical records, including your prescriptions, check-ups, and exams is essential.
AMI provides a full range of imaging services including:
- Prostate MRI
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is located just below the bladder and creates fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. PSA screening is the best tool currently available for detecting prostate cancer and is recommended for men 40 and older. In its early stages, prostate cancer may not show any signs or symptoms. In more advanced stages, some symptoms include trouble urinating, blood in urine, and blood in semen. If these symptoms occur, your doctor may recommend a prostate MRI. Prostate MRI imaging utilizes high-field MRI technology to analyze the blood flow through the prostate and detect abnormal areas of blood flow that may represent the sites of cancer within the prostate gland. The superior resolution offered by MRI enables physicians to determine cancer stage, conclude whether the cancer is contained within the gland or has spread, and help determine the most appropriate treatment path.
- Coronary CTA
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States. Heart disease is a condition that progresses gradually and is primarily caused by lifestyle choices that do not support a healthy heart. With a poor diet and lack of exercise, the inner walls of your arteries will accumulate a substance called artery plaque. This plaque can narrow the arteries and impede blood flow. A Coronary CTA is a revolutionary exam that helps your doctor determine if there are any blockages in your coronary arteries. This non-invasive exam requires no sedation and no hospital stay. The technology completes a specialized CT scan in fewer than five heartbeats and then within seconds uses highly advanced computers to produce 3-D, 360-degree images of the coronary arteries, the place where heart attacks originate. Heart disease typically progresses slowly for many years and the first sign of coronary artery disease is a heart attack. If you are at risk, it is important to find out early, when coronary disease is easier to treat.
- Low Dose CT Lung Screen
Lung cancer is responsible for 1 out of every 3 cancer deaths and is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. While heavy smokers are at the greatest risk for the disease, 60% of lung cancer patients are individuals who never smoked or who quit decades ago. Only 16% of lung cancers are diagnosed at their earliest, most curable stages. If caught early, patients can increase their treatment options while improving their outcomes and survival rate. A low-dose CT lung screening can help diagnose lung cancer in its earliest stages, making treatment more successful. The low-dose CT lung screening exam is a simple, painless, and non-invasive process used to check for lung cancer. The test only takes a few minutes. Screenings are recommended for patients between the ages of 50 to 80 years who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
When choosing a center for your imaging exam, you should consider the team of imaging specialists that will be performing and interpreting your exam as well as the equipment being used. At AMI, our board-certified, sub-specialty trained radiologists and our highly skilled staff are committed to providing clinical excellence, unmatched technology, and diagnostic imaging expertise, along with the most accurate and timely results.
For your convenience, our offices offer early morning, extended evening and weekend hours. You can conveniently schedule an appointment by calling our central scheduling team or by booking your appointment online through the AMI Patient Portal. Through the portal, you can book an appointment, complete your forms, and view your results all online, 24/7.
Click here to register for a portal account today.