Mark Grabowska ,
Administrative Director
Phone: (520) 417- 3106
Fax: 520-417-4502
Digital Mammography * Stereotactic Biopsy * DEXA Scanner * 64-Slice CT * Ultrasound * X-Ray * Breast MRI * Cardiac Calcium Scoring & CTA 
As part of your health care team, SVRHC is proud to offer the most advanced medical imaging technology available in Southern Arizona by highly skilled and experienced physicians and technologists, while service is delivered with a focus on care and compassion. The Carter Imaging Center houses several different modalities which include a 64-slice CT, Digital Mammography System, DEXA Bone Density Scanner, Stereotactic Biopsy services, X-Ray, and Ultrasound capabilities.
The Carter Imaging Center is located at 151 Colonia de Salud and is open Monday- Friday, the phone number is (520) 417-3621. While the Carter Imaging Center offers various modalities, the main hospital campus still provides imaging services minus mammography; however, our goal is to guide patients to come to the new building on an outpatient basis.
There is virtually no wait time at the new imaging center so patients can get in and out in a very timely manner. The hospital is encouraging local physicians to remind their patients to come to the new imaging center. All of this advanced technology is housed in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere with easy access to parking and registration while private waiting areas and modern treatment rooms are part of the experience. Whether it’s a critical situation or a routine check-up, the caring and qualified staff will provide the service excellence you’ve come to expect.
SVRHC's Digital Mammography is located at the Carter Imaging Center. In addition to the latest in mammography technology, the new imaging center also has separate dressing and waiting rooms for men and women. Patients can have a private dressing room and can secure their belongings in a locker. They are then guided into a warm and comfortable waiting area and asked to complete a brief health questionnaire and then they are taken in for their mammogram.
A physician’s referral is required. Please call (520) 417-4588 to schedule an appointment.
Breast MRI provides pictures of each breast, the chest wall, and the lymph nodes located under each arm. These high-resolution bilateral images have allowed specialists to make earlier and more accurate diagnoses. The breast MRI is used as a supplemental tool, in addition to digital mammography, to help diagnose breast disease. It is also useful in examining patients who have breast implants and the breast tissue surrounding the implants. Breast MRI provides in-depth breast images and is usually done when a physician needs additional information about a breast abnormality. Breast MRIs are not used in place of screening mammography, breast ultrasound, or a clinical breast exam.
Coronary Calcuim Scoring & CTA
Calcium Scoring and Coronary CT Angiography which can evaluate your risk of developing coronary heart disease, is now available at the Carter Imaging Center. The Calcium Scoring test, which takes less than an hour, calculates the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries using the Framingham Risk Score to assign a number which correlates to different levels of risk. In general, a high calcium score is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, while a zero or low score is associated with a very low risk of coronary artery disease. This test looks at age, gender, blood pressure, smoking history, and cholesterol levels to determine who is at risk. The risk score is then used by physicians to determine which patients should make healthier lifestyle changes or be treated medically.
Coronary CT Angiography (CTA) involves the use of intravenous contrast dye to image the coronary arteries. It evaluates the coronary arteries for disease that has resulted in narrowing of the arteries. Coronary artery disease is usually created by atherosclerosis. This process occurs to some extent in all individuals, though it may be accelerated in those with high "cholesterol" levels.
Please call (520) 417-4588 for an appointment. A Physician's referral is required.
Biopsy is the most widely accepted method for definitively determining the presence or absence of cancer following detection of a breast abnormality. This new technique called stereotactic biopsy, takes a very precise biopsy of an abnormality that was previously detected during a mammogram. The availability of stereotactic biopsy has significantly lowered the number of open surgical procedures performed over the last decade. The location of the stereotactic biopsy table to our mammography services makes it extremely convenient to provide each service in one location for our patients. It’s very convenient having it right across the hallway because it helps patients receive services in a timelier manner. A physician’s referral is required.
Please call (520) 417-4588 to schedule an appointment.
New to SVRHC’s Carter Imaging Center is a Discovery S/L DEXA Bone Density Scanner made by Hologic. DEXA stands for ‘Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry’ and is the most accurate way to diagnosing diseases such as Osteoporosis or Osteopenia. This technology is much better at detecting bone density than a normal x-ray. It is the most commonly used test for measuring bone mineral density. The DEXA scan is a 5 minute procedure that could detect bone loss before it progresses. When undergoing this procedure, please be sure to wear pants with an elastic waist band so there is no metal. A physician’s referral is required.
Please call (520) 417-4588 to schedule an appointment.
Another new addition to SVRHC is a 64-slice CT. In computed tomography (CT) scanning, x-rays obtain image data from different angles around the body and then a computer processes that information to show a cross-section of body tissues and organs which is used to diagnose many different types of diseases. It can produce detailed pictures of any organ in a few seconds and provide sharp, clear, three-dimensional images, including 3-D views of the blood vessels, in an instant. The technology has been particularly exciting for studying the beating heart as scans can be timed to use only images gathered between contractions, when the heart and its vessels can be seen without the blurring caused by motion.
Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography involves exposing part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. Ultrasound exams do not use ionizing radiation (as used in x-rays). Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels. Ultrasound is a useful way of examining organs of the body such as the liver, kidneys, heart and blood vessels, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, bladder, uterus, ovaries, an unborn child (fetus), scrotum, eyes, and thyroid.
An x-ray (radiograph) is a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Radiography involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body. X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging. Different parts of the body absorb the x-rays in varying degrees. As a result, bones appear white on the x-ray, soft tissue shows up in shades of gray and air appears black. X-ray images are maintained as hard film copy (much like a photographic negative) or, more likely, as a digital image that is stored electronically. These stored images are easily accessible and are sometimes compared to current x-ray images for diagnosis and disease management.
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