Preventative Radiology

Radiology is having an increasing role in preventative medicine. Our goal is to empower patients to take control of their health by understanding the range of radiology screening services available.  Below are some of the current areas in clinical use.

Cardiac (coronary artery) screening – CT calcium score vs. CT Coronary Angiography

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, resulting in 1 in 10 deaths. We offer CT calcium score, is a screening test used to assess the risk for coronary artery disease which is the cause of heart attacks. The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) recommends risk assessment to select patients for CT calcium scoring. CT Coronary Angiography is predominantly used to exclude coronary artery disease in symptomatic patients with low to intermediate risk or as an alternative for patients who cannot have angiography. Read more

Breast screening - Mammography vs. MRI

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. Screening mammography is recommended by Breastscreen Australia for all women >40 years. Breast MRI screening is used for screening women with high risk (>20% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer). Many high risk women are eligible for MRI Breast screening under the Medicare criteria. Read more

Prostate cancer screening – PSA vs. MRI

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males. A screening blood test, serum PSA, is recommended by the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) in men > 40 years. Prostate MRI is used to assess for significant lesions in at risk patients. Many at risk patients are eligible for Prostate MRI under the Medicare criteria. Read more

Lung cancer screening: CXR vs. CT

Lung cancer is the 5th most common cancer, and the most common cause of cancer deaths in Australia. CT is more sensitive than CXR in detection, and with newer techniques, uses minimal dose. There is some evidence to support low dose CT screening in high risk patients >55 years, and is expected to commence in Australia by 2025.

Colon cancer: Endoscopy vs. CT Colonography

Colorectal cancer is the 4th most common cancer. Endoscopy is the gold standard in assessment for colorectal cancer. CT colonography is an alternative used for patients who are unable to have a colonoscopy.

Whole Body MRI

Whole body MRI relies predominantly on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) to detect occult cancer. This is medicare eligible for patients who carry a increased genetic risk for developing cancer related to a variant in the TP53 gene.

BMD

A DEXA scan is used for Bone mineral densitometry (BMD) is a screening test for Osteoporosis. It is recommended in women and men > 50 years with risk factors. Read more

Body Composition

A DEXA scan is used for Body Composition Scans, the gold standard in measurement of body composition, accurate to within 1%. The scan assesses fat, lean muscle and bone. This is predominantly used in weight loss and athletic monitoring.

We invite you to ask any additional questions you may have before or after your examination