Iowa Radiology Blog

A chest X-ray can provide valuable information about the condition of your heart, lungs, and surrounding structures. Doctors often order them to investigate respiratory or cardiac symptoms or to check for damage after a chest injury. Chest X-rays are also useful for monitoring progress after surgery to the chest and ensuring proper placement of medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. Below are some of the features radiologists examine in chest X-rays and the conditions they may shed light on. Depending on the results, a chest X-ray may be followed up with additional imaging such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common type of cancer in the U.S.[1] One of the reasons lung cancer is so deadly is that symptoms often don’t appear until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Fortunately, low-dose CT lung screening (LDCTLS) has emerged as an effective screening tool to detect early-stage lung cancers, increasing many patients’ chances of survival. While LDCTLS isn’t appropriate for everyone, it has the potential to save lives among high-risk patients.

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are frequently used by medical professionals to visualize internal body structures. Both technologies are capable of producing detailed three-dimensional images, and both play vital roles in patient care. While CT uses X-rays to create images, MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves. Which type of imaging a doctor chooses depends on what information they’re seeking, how soon they need it, and the patient’s personal medical history. Below are a few considerations doctors take into account when deciding which to use.

Both men and women experience pelvic pain for a variety of reasons. In many cases, pelvic pain goes away on its own. Sometimes, however, it can be a sign of a serious or chronic condition that needs treatment. Below are some of the most common reasons for pelvic pain as well as signs that it’s time to see a doctor.

When should mammography begin?

In recent years, differing guidelines for mammography screening offered by various groups of medical professionals have sparked confusion among patients. With a range of professional opinions, it can be hard to discern which advice is best. When weighing advice on breast cancer screening, it makes sense to look to leaders in breast cancer detection and treatment.

Fertility Changes Over Time

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant, you may be surprised at how long it can take. While women tend to be most fertile in their 20s, many in the U.S. have been waiting longer to start their families. Census data show that the median maternal age at birth rose to 30 in 2019, up from 27 in 1990. Births to women in their 20s fell dramatically during that period, while births to women aged 30–44 rose even more sharply.

Menopause and the years of shifting hormone levels that lead up to it (called perimenopause) cause changes in the body that affect both mental and physical health. Decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone influence not just the reproductive system but also the nervous system, urinary tract, circulatory system, bones, muscles, hair, skin, and more. 

If you’ve had X-ray imaging done in the past, you may remember having a lead shield laid over part of your body to prevent radiation from reaching areas that are not being imaged. In the 1950s, radiologists began shielding patients’ reproductive organs as well as the wombs of pregnant patients because they were unsure what long-term effects X-ray exposure may have on reproductive cells or a developing fetus.

If you’ve been suffering with painful periods, you might think your pain is a natural part of menstruation. While menstrual cramps are normal, excessive pain during menstruation can be a sign that something more is going on. Below, we discuss some of the conditions that can cause unusually painful periods.

Who is at risk for prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is very common. It affects approximately 13% and causes early death in 2% to 3% of men in the U.S. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age, with 60% of cases occurring in men 65 and older. While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, men with African ancestry are diagnosed more frequently, at younger ages, and with higher-risk cancers than others. Men whose father or brother had prostate cancer are at more than twice the normal risk.