Imaging Equipment and Services

State-of-the-Art Musculoskeletal Imaging Equipment and Services at Midwest Imaging at OCI.

Midwest Imaging at OCI is an American College of Radiology accredited facility. Our technologists are not only highly experienced but also committed to making your experience here positive. We take the time to make you comfortable and strive to provide OCI doctors with test results as quickly as possible.

At Midwest Imaging, we utilize the latest diagnostic tools and technology available to ensure the most accurate diagnosis of your injury or musculoskeletal condition.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an advanced diagnostic imaging procedure that creates detailed images of internal bodily structures without the use of ionized radiation (x-rays). Instead of x-rays, the MRI scanner uses a powerful magnet, radio waves and a computer to gather information and produce remarkably clear pictures of your head, spine, or other parts of your body. MRI produces high-resolution images of soft tissues, such as muscle, tendon, ligament, and cartilage and can be used to examine tears and degeneration. This advanced test can assist physicians in detecting and diagnosing diseases or other abnormalities in very early stages.

At Midwest Imaging at OCI, we have a high-field strength Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner in Springfield- because we know that many people are uncomfortable in close spaces.

Shore Bore MRI: Our short-bore Siemens Espree 1.5 T Magnet MRI is designed for patient comfort and superior imaging. It features a bore opening of nearly 2.3 feet in diameter and almost one foot of free space between a patient’s head and the magnet—about double that of a traditional MRI. The benefits for anyone who is claustrophobic, especially anxious or obese are significant

Approximately four feet long, the magnet allows more than 60 percent of exams to be completed with the patient’s head outside the bore. For anyone who is 157 cm (5’2’’) and taller, every scan below the chest can be done that way. Also, you will enjoy the most open lumbar scan in the market. This is CT-like comfort married to true high-field power, which wasn’t possible before in any conventional Open system.

  • Short bore design reduces feelings of claustrophobia
  • Extra wide to accommodate patients up to 550 pounds
  • 1.5 Tesla magnet for superior resolution compared to open MRI
  • Outstanding image accuracy
  • 3x more power than conventional open MRI
  • Shorter exam time

CT Scan

Our safe, fast CT scanner offers a common medical imaging procedure, often called a CAT scan, which combines x-rays and computers. The CT scan itself only takes a few seconds. However, the rest of the CT exam takes longer as the images are processed on the computer.

CT is an abbreviation for computed tomography. CT scans have been performed successfully for almost 30 years. Using a computer, 2-D images can be displayed as 3-D pictures for in-depth clinical evaluations. A CT scan is most often used at Midwest Imaging at OCI for:

  • diagnosing and treating spinal problems and injuries to the hands, feet and other skeletal structures because it can clearly show even very small bones as well as surrounding tissues such as muscle and blood vessels
  • studying the chest, abdomen and pelvis because it provides detailed, cross-sectional views of all types of tissue
  • measuring bone mineral density for the detection of osteoporosis

EMG and NCS

Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) are two very common tests that go hand-in-hand. Often the two are referred to collectively as an “EMG test.” Unlike an X-Ray or MRI, which show anatomy, these tests give vital information about muscle and nerve function and determine whether or not your muscles are receiving normal nerve supply. An EMG allows your doctor to assess potential areas of nerve injury, such as the neck, back, or carpal tunnel.

These tests are part of a group of tests called “electrodiagnostics”. They involve small electrical impulses that are generated by the body, picked up by wires, and fed to a computer. A specially trained physician uses a computer monitor, sophisticated filters amplifiers to determine the function of the involved muscles and nerves. Health care providers have used these tests for over 50 years.

X-Rays

An X-ray examination uses electromagnetic radiation to make images of your bones, teeth and internal organs. Simply put, an X-ray allows your doctor to take pictures of the inside of your body.

One of the oldest forms of medical imaging, and X-ray is a fast, easy and safe way for your doctor to view and assess injuries and medical conditions. X-rays are safe and effective for people of all ages, even young children. X-rays are particularly useful for examining the chest, bones, joints and abdomen. For orthopedics, X-rays help:

  • Determine whether a bone is chipped, dislocated or broken (fractured)
  • Evaluate joint injuries and bone infections
  • Diagnose and monitor the progression of degenerative conditions, such as arthritis and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis
  • Check for broken ribs
  • Determine whether you have injured a bone or disk in your spine
  • Detect scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, and other spinal defects