Missoula Bone and Joint and Surgery Center
Open Extremity MRI
Missoula Bone and Joint now offers a recently upgraded, state of the art, Open Extremity MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). This highly advanced MRI with, its outstanding image quality, is located just down the hall from the exam rooms and is the first choice for patients here at MBJ. Allow MBJ to start evaluation immediately with our GE Lunar E-scan XQ Extremity Magnet which provides the space you need to be comfortable during your MRI scan. The open architecture of our magnet reduces a patient's claustrophobia and anxiety, providing you with a more positive experience with detailed scans. Our machine is not the typical tunnel MRI, but instead is designed to have only the anatomy of interest under the magnet; specifically the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, knee, ankle or foot. We strive to accommodate your busy schedule and MRI results are usually available within one to two business days.
Not only do our providers read your MRI but it is also sent to Franklin & Seidelmann Subspecialty Radiology (F&S) to be diagnosed. F&S is a leading, national full-service subspecialty teleradiology provider serving physician practices, radiology groups and hospitals. There is no additional charge to the patient for F&S to read and diagnose the MRI. Missoula Bone and Joint patients will only receive one charge for MRI services.
How to be Prepared for your MRI at Missoula Bone & Joint.
Direct Digital X-Ray Technology
Missoula Bone and Joint is leading the way in digital imaging with the installation of the first in the area Direct Digital X-ray machine! This addition is not to be confused with other digital options such as CT, MRI and digital mammography or Computed Radiography (CR).
What is Direct Digital (DR) X-ray? Direct digital radiography is a method of digital x-ray where the conventional x-ray cassette and film are replaced with a digital imaging sensor known as a detector. DR is equipped with a fixed size pixilated detector that translates the x-ray radiation directly into an electrical charge. The charge is then sent to a processing unit which assembles the image onto a monitor which can be viewed by the patient and provider.
MBJ's new Stryker/Swissray High Definition DR 5500 is the most automated DR solution on the market and has a flat panel amorphous silicon detector made by Trixell (number one in the detector industry). Swissray was the first company to receive FDA clearance to market a DR system back in 1997. Controlled by a remote, 1200 exams are preset into the x-ray machine, allowing our machine to be completely automatic by a simple push of a single button on a wireless handheld remote control.
How does this DR machine at Missoula Bone and Joint benefit the patient?
Patients will receive a 29% lower radiation dose than regular film x-ray and 43% lower dose than CR digital x-ray. CR (a more commonly used form of digital x-ray) gathers a simple amount of 11-15% of the information. Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE) is the measurement used for digital x-ray. This number tells how efficient the detector is at gathering information (image quality over dose). The Trixell detector is gathering 70% of the information from the time of x-ray exposure, passing through the air, tissue, and bone to the detector explaining why there is a reduced need to repeat x-rays.
The higher the speed of DR equipment, the lower the radiation dose for the patient. Missoula Bone and Joint has higher quality x-ray images and delivers nearly half the radiation dose than any other facility offered in the area. With the rapid availability of the digital images, x-ray images are now viewed on the computer monitor immediately after your x-ray which allows the physician/PA to manipulate the images to better educate the patient. With the immediate image acquisition and no imaging plates or cassettes to develop, DR increases efficiency by eliminating the need to develop x-rays. After an exposure, x-rays can be viewed fifty times faster, making the patient’s experience less time consuming and safer. This is precisely the reason DR is generally employed at fixed locations with high volumes such as orthopedic clinics.
Durable Medical Equipment
Missoula Bone & Joint is continually searching for new and effective ways to better serve our patients. To that end, we have recently instituted our own Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Program.
You will be properly fit for any brace, sling or other DME product that your MBJ physician may prescribe for you. You will also be educated on how to get the most benefit from your DME device which will in turn hopefully get you back to work, back to play, and back to life more quickly. For more information on our DME program, please ask your physician's assistant or one of our receptionists.
Our DME Program Coordinator is a certified Fitter of Orthotics (CFo) and is trained on how to investigate your insurance plan's pre-authorization and coverage levels for DME. This means fewer surprises for you with regards to your healthcare bills.