Diagnostics & Testing
United Medical provides advanced diagnostic testing and more right in our offices, so you won’t have to travel around town for a test or procedure. Having the capability to do bone density scans, blood work, and EKGs on site allows our doctors to interpret your results right away and begin treatment sooner. Learn detailed information about our on-site services such as laboratory services, ancillary services, cardiology procedures, gastroenterology procedures, and more.
We offer:
Bone Density Test
A bone density test, also known as densitometry or DEXA scan, determines whether you have osteoporosis or are at risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes a decrease in bone mass, often referred to as thinning of bone. When this occurs, your bones become weaker and your risk of fracture increases.
A bone density test uses X-rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone. It is a fairly accurate predictor of your risk of fracture. The test lasts about 10 minutes and exposes you to less radiation than a standard chest X-ray.
Who should have a bone density test?
- All post-menopausal women under the age of 65 who have one or more additional risk factors for osteoporosis
- All women age 65 and older regardless of additional risk factors
- Post-menopausal women who have sustained a fracture
- Women who are considering therapy for osteoporosis, if bone density testing would facilitate the decision
- Women who have been on hormone replacement therapy for a prolonged period of time
Pulmonary Function Test
Pulmonary function tests (also known as spirometry or PFT) are a group of tests that measure how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the atmosphere into the body's circulation. By measuring how much air you exhale, and how quickly, the pulmonary test can evaluate a broad range of lung diseases.
Lung volume measures the amount of air in the lungs without forcibly blowing out. Some lung diseases (such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis) can make the lungs contain too much air. Other lung diseases, such as fibrosis of the lungs and asbestosis, make the lungs scarred and smaller so that they contain too little air. Testing the diffusion capacity (also called the DLCO) allows the doctor to estimate how well the lungs move oxygen from the air into the bloodstream.
Our pulmonary tests are done to:
- Diagnose certain types of lung disease, especially asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema
- Find the cause of shortness of breath
- Measure whether exposure to contaminants at work affects lung function
In a pulmonary test, you will have a nose clip on and blow air into a mouthpiece that is connected to an instrument called a spirometer. The spirometer records the amount and the rate of air that you breathe in and out over a period of time. Since the test involves some forced breathing and rapid breathing, you may have some temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
Diagnostic Ultrasound
An ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to look at organs and structures inside the body. Health care professionals use them to view the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, and other organs. During pregnancy, doctors use ultrasound tests to examine the fetus. Unlike X-rays, ultrasound does not involve exposure to radiation.
There are many types of ultrasounds that vary depending on the body part being examined, but the process remains the same. During an ultrasound test, a special technician or doctor moves a device called a transducer over the part of the body being examined. The majority of ultrasound examinations are non-invasive; however, in some cases, the ultrasound transducer may be inserted into a natural opening in your body to get additional information.