Prevention is powerful medicine. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports more than half of all cancer deaths are preventable, simply by making healthy choices to avoid disease. At Edward-Elmhurst Health, we serve as your partner in health and offer screenings and programs that help you stay well.
Our commitment to offering the most advanced technology is evident at all of our locations, where we provide the latest advancements in radiological testing equipment to effectively diagnose and treat diseases.
By looking at your mammogram or the measure of breast density, your physician may conclude that you have dense breasts and may suggest other types of breast imaging, which helps in earlier detection of breast cancer.
Learn more about our breast cancer services
A colonoscopy is an internal examination of the colon (large intestine) and rectum, using an instrument called a colonoscope.
The colonoscope has a small camera attached to a flexible tube that can reach and examine the entire length of the colon. A colonoscopy helps detect ulcers, polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. Colonoscopies are important because cancer causing polyps can be removed before they spread.
A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses X-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the body. Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare is proud to offer 320- and 64-slice CT scans. A "slice" refers to the detail of the image. The higher the number of slices, the more detailed the picture quality.
CT scans are usually painless, although some patients may experience mild-discomfort from lying on a hard surface during the test. For patients who have a sensitivity or health concern related to radiation, a low-dose CT scan may be an option.
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Edward-Elmhurst Health provides low-dose CT lung screening (LDCT) for at risk patients. This lung screening, designed to assist in early detection, can save lives of people at high risk for developing lung cancer. Edward Hospital is the first hospital in the country to feature the use of DynaCad for a second look at lung screening.
Prior to scheduling your exam, you will meet with your primary care physician or designee to confirm if this test is right for you. We follow national screening and CMS guidelines, which state that screening is appropriate for high-risk individuals ages 55 to 77. If you are appropriate for lung screening, the screening exam appointment will take about 15 minutes, and you will be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds during the test.
Once your scan is completed, your primary care physician will be notified of your results to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for you.
In the event of a suspicious finding, your scan will be reviewed in our Multidisciplinary Thoracic Conference and your primary care physician may refer you to our Multidisciplinary Clinic. The benefit of this clinic is that a team of specialists get together to review the findings and develop an individualized plan of care. This process provides multiple, expert opinions in one setting, leading to a high-quality care plan delivered in an efficient manner.
Medicare covers low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for people who meet the eligibility criteria, and commercial insurance carriers will require pre-authorization to determine coverage. A physician order is required for a CT Lung Screen. Contact your PCP to find out if a CT Lung Screen is right for you. To schedule a CT Lung Screen, call (630) 527-3200.
Interventional radiologists at Edward-Elmhurst Health employ minimally invasive, imaging-guided procedures to diagnose and treat disease in nearly every organ system.
Our interventional radiologists provide consultation and treatment options for a myriad of diseases, including peripheral arterial disease, deep venous thrombosis, varicose veins, uterine fibroids, vertebral compression fractures, varicoceles, liver cancer and much more.
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Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is a new way of providing functional images of the breast. Unlike mammography, this system does not use X-rays but utilizes principles of nuclear medicine in detecting a tumor.
A patient undergoing an MBI is injected with a small amount of a molecular tracer – one that's commonly used in cardiac testing. The tracer attaches to highly active breast cells and brightens them. This enables your physician to differentiate cancerous cells from normal cells. The compression felt during an MBI test is about 30 percent less than that of a mammogram and you may sit during the exam.
An MBI is used alongside Mammography when results are inconclusive or additional information is needed.
A physician referral is required for an MBI. Contact your physician to determine if an MBI is right for you.
Learn more about our breast cancer services
MRI is short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. At Edward-Elmhurst Health, we use MRIs to scan patients and determine the severity of certain injuries.
MRI generates very clear images of soft-tissue structures near and around bones that other imaging techniques, such as X-ray, cannot produce. This clarity makes it the most sensitive exam for spinal and joint problems. MRI is also used to diagnose and evaluate internal organs for various diseases and disorders.
For those who feel uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, Edward-Elmhurst Health offers open MRI.
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PET/CT scan combines images from a positron emission tomography (PET) scan and a computed tomography (CT) scan that have been performed at the same time using the same machine. Since a CT scan provides detailed pictures of tissues and organs inside the body and a PET scan reveals any abnormal activity in the body, combining these scans creates a more complete image than either test can offer alone.
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Ultrasound technology uses high-frequency sound waves to scan body tissues. Ultrasound is often used to evaluate and monitor the fetus during pregnancy. In other cases, ultrasound may be used to obtain additional views of suspicious breast tissue.
Your physician places a thin needle attached to a syringe into the area of the breast abnormality. A small amount of cells or fluid is removed, and a pathologist examines it under a microscope. Local anesthetic may or may not be used.
A physician inserts a needle into the breast abnormality several times to remove cores of tissue. A clip will be placed in the breast after the biopsy is complete that will mark the site of the tissue sampled. Tissue samples are sent to our pathology lab for analysis. Local anesthetic is used.
While lying face down on a table, your breast is positioned through an opening. Your breast is firmly compressed between two plates as a mammogram is taken to determine the exact location of the abnormality. Your physician makes a small incision, inserts a biopsy instrument and uses that instrument and suction to remove tissue for analysis by our pathology lab. A clip will be placed in the breast after the biopsy is complete that will mark the site of the tissue sampled. Local anesthetic is given.
Elmhurst Hospital is now offering AFFIRM® Breast Biopsy Guidance System, with 3D™ breast biopsy capability (coming to Edward Hospital in 2021). While in an upright seated position, your breast is positioned like it was for your mammogram. Using the AFFIRM unit, your breast is firmly compressed between two plates as a mammogram is taken to determine the exact location of the abnormality. The AFFIRM unit helps reduce compression time and lowers X-ray dose to allow for a better patient experience. The physician makes a small incision, inserts a biopsy instrument and uses that instrument and suction to remove tissue for analysis by our pathology lab. Local anesthetic is used.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) generates 3D images of your breasts, so your physician can locate the breast abnormality for needle sampling. You will be positioned face down on an imaging table with your breasts placed in a hollow depression. The breast being sampled will be compressed during the procedure. Your doctor makes a small incision, inserts a needle and collects tissue samples, which are sent to the lab for analysis. A clip will be placed in the breast after the biopsy is complete that will mark the site of the tissue sampled. MRI requires that an IV be inserted in your arm, so we can administer a contrast material that’s needed to obtain images of the breast. A local anesthetic is given.
Needle localization is often recommended for abnormalities found on a mammogram or ultrasound that are not felt during an exam or that cannot be sampled with ultrasound, stereotactic or MRI techniques. Needle localization uses ultrasound or mammography imaging to place a wire in the breast through a thin hollow needle close to the area of the abnormality. A local anesthetic is administered during the procedure. When it is confirmed that the wire is positioned correctly, it will be taped to the outside of your breast and you will be taken to surgery to have the abnormality and the wire removed.
Surgical biopsy involves removing abnormal breast tissue in the operating room. The tissue removed is sent to our pathology lab for analysis.
Stereotactic breast biopsy uses an X-ray to precisely position a needle to retrieve samples of suspicious breast tissue discovered on a mammogram. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. At the time of the biopsy, the patient is given a follow up appointment with the Results Clinic where, if they results are positive, they will return for a meeting with the radiologist and the breast nurse navigator within 48-72 hours of their biopsy to receive more detailed information and learn next steps.