The radiology department of Liv Hospital is equipped with modern medical devices and sectors. The equipment allows the application of all modern methods of diagnostic imaging.
Computed tomography – CT
In addition to all the capabilities of multi-slice CT systems, our high-resolution detector structure and single-tube, dual-energy technique achieve high quality and resolution images.
Special imaging techniques are used in lesion characterization, kidney stone typing, identification of areas of reduced blood supply in cases of pulmonary embolism, characterization of metastases, differentiation of gout from pseudo-gout, reduction of metal artifacts in the area being imaged, characterization of plaque throughout the body and of cardiac arteries.
Thanks to high-resolution methods, evaluation of cardiac cavities and stents can be performed easily and safely. These methods allow a high degree of diagnostic accuracy and quality in all joints and areas that require high resolution.
Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) means that all examinations can be performed with reduced radiation levels by up to 80%. Diagnostic images can be obtained on many CT scans with a radiation dose of around 1 mSv. Thanks to the special capability of our system for examining children (with settings for different heights and weights), CT scans are possible with doses close to radiography.
In addition, the system performs automatic detection of colon polyps and pulmonary nodules, all body and head blood supply studies, 32 cm abdominal and 14 cm angio- applications.
3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Qualitative characteristics of the imaging:
- Our equipment uses an "MRI Cube" technique to obtain three-dimensional images instead of the two-dimensional images that are obtained from a standard MRI.
- Thanks to the motion artifact program, all motion artifacts are reduced in our images.
- Metal artifacts are reduced using 'ideal' and 'propeller' techniques.
- Thanks to the smart SAR method, it is possible to form a homogeneous radio frequency area. BOLD and spectroscopy, DTG and high-resolution diffusion sequences are available.
Patient comfort options
One of the most important factors affecting patient comfort with 3.0 Tesla MRI machines is the high sound level. In some patients it causes great discomfort.
Our MRI equipment uses sound reduction techniques that reduce the sound level by up to 40%. Patient comfort is enhanced by our MRI room design, MRI magnet design, orthopedic MRI cushions, lightweight coils, special lights and spacious interior architecture.
Coronary CT angiography
In the early stage of atherosclerotic disease, the vessel wall thickens without any narrowing in the lumen (positive remodeling). Narrowing of the lumen (negative remodeling) is the end point of the disease. Acute coronary syndrome often develops with the rupture of plaques that do not cause narrowing. Early-stage atherosclerotic disease can be diagnosed with coronary CT.
The negative diagnostic value is 95%. The sensitivity of our device is 86-100% and its specificity is 90-95%. Plaque characterization can be achieved as well as differentiation between calcified and non-calcified plaque. The sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of stenosis are recorded, in theory, as above 80%. The function of the cardiac ventricles and myocardium are assessed using coronary CT.
A close association between high calcium levels and the risk of acute coronary syndrome has been shown. The total amount of atherosclerotic plaque can be measured by a coronary calcium scan, measuring the calcium that has accumulated in the coronary arteries. Calcium scans are performed with lower radiography doses without the use of contrast agents.
Due to the patency of arterial stents with the HD algorithm (high-resolution imaging), the results can be analyzed and evaluated at high resolution. All these examinations can be performed using up to 80% less radiation than all other existing technologies.
CT angiographic examinations
All the blood vessels in the body can be scanned in about 15-16 seconds in very short periods of breath holding. Bypass grafts from the aorta to the distal region of the native coronary artery can be easily observed, and newly formed stenoses can be easily detected.
Coronary artery anomalies are the second most common cause of heart-related death in young people. The relationship between the normal coronary artery and the pulmonary artery in most patients is not detected by coronary angiography. But the relationship between coronary artery abnormalities and the major vascular structures of the abnormal arteries can be established with 100% certainty using coronary CT.
Coronary CT is the first choice when choosing a method to evaluate abnormalities. By using "cine" imaging in the evaluation of the mitral and aortic valves, valvular abnormalities can be identified with a high degree of accuracy. Cardiac CT in Liv Hospital is performed using very low radiation doses with scan shorter than 5 seconds.
Angiography of head and neck
Due to the collection capacity of the system and its detection range, cerebral angiography is performed using contrast agent at a dose of less than 1 mSv (up to 50% reduction). A dose of 1 mSv is equivalent to about one third of the annual radiation exposure that a person would receive in a natural environment.
Dual-energy imaging
This method is used to: determine the type of kidney stone, deal with metal artifacts, characterize a tumor by measuring the amount of iodine (contrast agent) inside the tumour, detect changes caused by small emboli by detecting a mismatch between ventilation and perfusion in pulmonary embolism, identify metastases with greater reliability, and to obtain images without using contrast agent that would otherwise require iodine marking.
Abdominal imaging
Whole-body CT and MRI scans:
Abdominal diffusion MRI - this MRI machine captures high quality diffusion images due to its high power.
CT colonography, MRI colonography (virtual colonoscopy)
- Screening for colorectal cancer
- Incomplete colonoscopy (spasm, twisted colon, dolichocolon, diverticulosis, recalcitrance)
- Evaluation of the adjacent colon in obstructive colon cancer.
- Situations in which conventional colonoscopy cannot be used (severe cardiac or pulmonary disease, haemorrhagic diathesis, warfarin therapy, allergy to sedatives)
- Patients who refuse conventional colonoscopy
- Patients with a positive test result for faecal occult haemorrhage
CT enterography, MRI enterography:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (suspected or observed Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Bowel obstruction (partial, low-grade, intermittent, obstructive, aetiology, degree of localization, complications)
- Gastrointestinal haemorrhages
- Tumour and polyp lesions (in addition to capsule endoscopy and enteroscopy)
- Unclear abdominal pain and diarrhoea
- Vague gastrointestinal complaints (occult haemorrhage, weight loss, etc.)
- Malabsorption syndromes (Steatorrhea and Whipple's disease)
- Removal of small bowel stricture prior to capsule endoscopy
Multiparameter diffusion MRI of the prostate, perfusion MRI and spectroscopy of the prostate
It is used in prostate cancer research and pre-biopsy planning.
MRI – Defecography
This method is used to find functional data from "cine" MRI. Images obtained in 3 Tesla MRI for pelvic floor disorders.
- High-resolution MR imaging of the perianal region and MR fistulography
- CT perfusion of the liver
- CT perfusion of kidneys
- Quantitative analysis of renal stone excretion
MRI Spectroscopy
Our MRI equipment software and the high Tesla allow us to perform MRI spectroscopy. While lower power Tesla machines cannot visualize small metabolites (molecule less than 1 kDa in size), 3 Tesla equipment can intercept 20 levels of metabolites.
This study does not need contrast agent. This method can determine whether up to five metabolites are present in the normal brain, as well as the amount that is present. Indications include hereditary or acquired metabolic brain diseases, differential diagnosis of focal lesions in the brain, brain tumour diagnosis, differential diagnosis and staging of tumours, neurodegenerative diseases, and epilepsy.
Diffusion MRI
This technique closes the gap where classic MRI sequences are relatively insensitive as far as stroke diagnosis in the first hours is concerned. By revealing the recoverable brain tissue that is at risk, in conjunction with perfusion MRI, which shows the blood supply to tissues in the early treatment of stroke, this is an effective method that expands the spectrum of treatment options.
In addition to the diagnosis of early-stage stroke, diffusion MRI plays an important role in the recognition of focal lesions in the brain, such as abscesses, as well as in the differential diagnosis of cystic intracranial lesions and early radiological diagnosis of prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Diffusion tensor imaging
This represents an advanced application of the tracking used in diffusion MRI. The powerful Tesla equipment at Liv Hospital can achieve this type of imaging through higher resolution, higher signal and in less time. Tractography is the first method to observe cerebral white matter tracts, as it allows the determination of all types of white matter-related diseases that cannot be detected with classical MRI tracking.
This method is highly effective for assessing brain maturation in children, brain abnormalities, epilepsy, metabolic brain diseases, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic axonal damage, and assessing sites in the brain that are affected by stroke. Fibro tractography is used for the preoperative evaluation of the relationship between brain tumours and important tracts of white matter, such as the corticospinal tract.
Perfusion MRI
Mapping of cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean transit time (MTT) and time to peak (TTP) is achieved with perfusion MRI techniques. This method is used in combination with diffusion MRI in severe stroke cases and to differentiate between tumour recurrence and radiation necrosis after treatment.
Another perfusion MRI technique that 1.5-Tesla machines cannot achieve but can be performed at high resolution without paramagnetic contrast material from 3 Tesla equipment is arterial spin labeling (ASL). Blood is magnetically tagged and mapping of blood flow in the brain is performed by viewing the tissue. This technique is particularly useful in cases of renal dysfunction where there is a risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.
Radiology – interventional procedures
- Fine-needle biopsy and "tru-cut" biopsy of all organs
- liver, kidney, lungs, bone, prostate, thyroid, pancreas, etc.
- o Drainage of abscess, accumulation, biliary tract, urinary system, pleural and peritoneal fluids.
- Stent placement and angioplasty procedures.
- Aortic, iliac, renal, mesenteric, and femoral veins below the knee, upper extremities, dialysis fistula stenosis
- Treatment of aneurysm ("TEVAR" endovascular treatment of thoracic aneurysm, "EVAR" endovascular treatment of aneurysm, visceral arteries, peripheral arteries)
- Selective internal radiotherapy (radio-embolization) and chemo-embolization of locally advanced liver tumours with intra-arterial injection of yttrium (90 Y)
- Hyper-vascular tumours, preoperative embolization (bone tumour metastases, renal cell carcinoma, neuronal tumours, etc.)
- Patients with local tumour ablation.
- Liver, lungs, kidney, thyroid gland not suitable for surgery (radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, Nano-knife, etc.)
- Non-surgical, minimally invasive option for the symptomatic treatment of myosis and adenomyosis along with embolization.
- Placement of subcutaneous venous access devices, Hickman catheters and permanent tunnel catheters for dialysis.
- Renal sympathetic denervation in patients with persistent hypertension
- Ablation of chronic venous insufficiency (varicose veins) by radiofrequency or endovenous laser, sclerotherapy
- Post-thrombotic syndrome, iliac vein stent placement
- Treatment of vascular malformation (lymphangioma, haemangioma, venous malformation, arteriovenous malformation, arteriovenous fistula)
- Treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome (pelvic varicose veins), ovarian veins and pelvic veins, embolization
- Vascular imaging
- Renal MR angiography with contrast enhancement
- Carotid MR angiography with contrast enhancement
- MR characterization of carotid plaque
- MR angiography of lower and upper extremities, renal, mesenteric, abdominal, and thoracic aorta
- CT angiographic imaging with low-dose radiation
- CT and MR myelography
- MR cisternography
- Musculoskeletal and breast imaging
- Comprehensive digital mammography (GE Senographe Essential)
- Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM)
- Stereotactic biopsy
- Imaging T2 cartilage mapping
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging techniques with reduced changes from metal (metal artifact)
- Thin-slice CT with low radiation dose and three-dimensional imaging.
- MR arthrography (supported by the Department of Orthopaedics)
- Dynamic breast imaging with contrast enhancement.
- Thin-section, high-resolution images obtained from a 3-Tesla device.