Iowa Radiology Blog

If you’re thinking about undergoing body composition analysis (BCA) to understand how to better manage your health, you may be tempted to shed pounds before getting on the scanning table. It can be most effective, however, to have BCA before beginning a diet and exercise regimen, while you’re in the midst of it, and after you’ve reached a goal. A detailed analysis of the proportions of fat, muscle, and bone in your body can serve as a valuable guide for your weight loss planning and help you maintain your results. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for one in four deaths. Last year, the American Heart Association reported that a staggering 48% of Americans are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, which includes coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Many factors influence your individual risk, and you can reduce or eliminate some, but not all, of these risk factors by adopting healthy behaviors.

Since 2017, Iowa law has required mammography providers to include information about breast density in mammography reports. You may have questions about what this information means for you, your health, and the effectiveness of your breast cancer screening.

Approximately one in eight women (12.5%) develops breast cancer in her lifetime. Because of the prevalence of breast cancer in women, doctors and medical associations recommend screening—looking for signs of disease when no symptoms are present. Mammography has been the gold standard of breast cancer detection for decades and remains a critical component of routine screening. Other technologies, however, can be valuable supplements—or in some cases, even replacements—for screening mammography.

Receiving a call after a screening mammogram is a source of worry for many women. While it’s natural to be concerned, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the vast majority of women who are called back for follow up after a mammogram (more than 9 in 10) are not found to have breast cancer.[1] This is because there are a number of benign conditions that can raise the suspicion of breast cancer when they appear on mammography images. To determine whether a feature found on a mammogram is actually cancer, your doctor will order follow-up testing.

Body composition analysis is the process of assessing the content of fat, muscle, and bone in the body. Body fat can be measured in a variety of ways, including using calipers to measure subcutaneous fat (fat stored beneath the skin), special scales, and hydrostatic weighing. While BMI is commonly used to determine whether a person is underweight, overweight, or obese, it is not an accurate measure of fat content in the body or risk of obesity-related disease. To get the most accurate and complete information, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition analysis, better known as a DXA BCA, is the gold standard.

Pain and periods often go together. More than half of women regularly experience pain during their menstrual cycle, which can sometimes interfere with the ability to participate in and enjoy everyday activities.[1] While many women experience painful periods without any identifiable underlying cause other than normal uterine contractions, sometimes, period pain has a treatable source. One of these is pelvic congestion syndrome.

Since 1997, November has been recognized in the U.S. as National Family Caregivers Month. At this time each year, we honor the everyday heroism of the more than 40 million Americans who serve this role. The AARP Public Policy Institute determined that that in 2013, family caregivers provided 37 billion hours of care to adults who needed help with everyday activities, estimating the economic value of this work at $470 billion.[1]

You know you should be getting annual screening mammograms, but how do you choose the best breast imaging provider? One of the first steps to take in preparing for your mammogram is to research the facilities in your area. Here are six questions to ask when deciding which is the best facility for you:

Although an MRI is a painless, noninvasive, and safe procedure, the prospect of getting one can evoke a great deal of stress in the millions of people who suffer acute anxiety in closed spaces. When not properly accommodated during an MRI, claustrophobic patients may experience panic attacks, which can bring on increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, chills, sweating, and other distressing symptoms.