New York Times Examines Radiologists' Transition To Digital Mammograms

Leonard Glassman, MD, a radiologist at Washington Radiology Associates, is interviewed by the New York Times in a recent article on Digital Mammography.

Click here to read entire story.

ACR Selects Breast Imaging Scientist

Congratulations to our own Dr. Leonard Glassman, who was chosen as the American College of Radiology's (ACR) "Breast Imaging Scientist" at the AFIP. Dr. Glassman received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College at the age of 22. He was a radiologist in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project (BCDDP) study in the 1970s and spent three years as a radiologist in the US Air Force in Europe. After settling in Washington, DC, he spent a year as a radiologist at George Washington University and before entering private practice at Washington Radiology Associates, PC. He served as Chief of Radiology at Columbia Hospital for Women Medical Center for 14 years. Dr. Glassman began lecturing on breast disease and breast imaging at the AFIP in 1988, heading the Breast Imaging subsection. Dr. Glassman is currently a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and Clinical Professor of Radiology at George Washington and Georgetown Universities.

WRA Offers Digital Mammography Practice-Wide

Washington Radiology Associates is pleased to announce our practice-wide conversion to digital mammography services. This decision to fully convert to digital is based on results from the Digital Mammography Imaging Screening Trial (DMIST results). This large clinical trial (reported in The New England Journal of Medicine) showed the accuracy of digital mammography to be equal to film mammography for all women in the study group, and to be superior to film for women with dense breasts, women under age 50, and premenopausal and perimenopausal women. We believe that using the newest generation of equipment, and because of the many peripheral benefits of digital imaging, digital mammography is ultimately better for ALL women.

For more information about digital mammography, click here.

For more information about clinical indications for screening and diagnostic mammography, click here.

64-SLICE CT CENTER OPENS IN STERLING

Washington Radiology Associates is pleased to announce the opening of our new CT Center in Sterling, VA located adjacent to our existing office just off Route 7 at 21351 Ridgetop Circle.

This new Center offers the most advanced CT studies available today in all medical subspecialties including Pulmonary, Neurology, Stroke Assessment, Oncology, Orthopedic, and Pediatrics. In addition, WRA-Sterling performs a full range of cardiovascular screenings and diagnostic assessments such as Cardiac Calcium Scoring CT, Coronary CT Angiography, 3-D Cardiac Function Assessment, as well as General CT Angiography and 3D Virtual Colonoscopy CT. At Washington Radiology, all CT studies are read by board certified radiologists who subspecialize in CT imaging.

WRA’s new 64-slice CT is manufactured by Philips Medical Systems and provides crisp, clear, fast images with greater anatomical coverage often with a single breath hold creating less table time for the patient. Plus, thinner CT slices help improve diagnostic accuracy and speed treatment decisions.

Since opening in 2000, WRA-Sterling has offered General X-ray, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, Mammography, Biopsy, and DXA/VFA radiology services at its current location. The Sterling CT expansion, in combination with WRA’s recent opening of a new MRI Center in Fairfax, is helping to enhance the continuum of care that WRA offers patients throughout Northern Virginia. Kirsten Hanson, MD serves as physician administrator for the WRA-Sterling office.

WRA currently provides CT scanning services in DC and Maryland. WRA offices feature spacious exam rooms to enhance patient comfort, convenient and available appointment times, accurate and timely results reporting, and sub-specialty board-certified radiologists.

To learn more about WRA in Sterling, click here.

WRA IS AN AETNA PARTICIPATING PROVIDER

Washington Radiology Associates continues to be a participating provider in the Aetna HMO/POS and PPO insurance plans. Aetna members were recently notified of provider changes to the network effective July 1, 2006. We are pleased to report that these changes do not affect WRA. If you have questions about WRA’s participation in any of the Aetna plans, please call us at 703-280-9800.

MRI SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Washington Radiology Associates’ new MRI Center in Fairfax is now open. We offer high quality MR studies read by board-certified radiologists, and we have appointments available – in some cases, same day.

Our new Fairfax MRI is a Philips 1.5 Tesla MRI featuring a short-bore design so patients are comfortable yet the high-field power provides exceptionally-detailed image quality.

• Musculoskeletal imaging
• Neurological imaging (brain, spine, head, neck)
• Vascular imaging / MRA
• General chest and abdominal imaging
• MRCP
• Bilateral breast MRI

WRA also provides MRI services in DC and Maryland. To schedule an MRI, call (703) 280-9800.

To learn more about WRA in Fairfax, click here

WRA Now Offers First Trimester Screening

WRA is pleased to now offer First Trimester Prenatal Screening & Ultrasound at all of our clinical offices in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

First trimester screening is a maternal blood test combined with an ultrasound measurement which identifies fetuses (unborn babies) at increased risk of Down syndrome and Trisomy 18. These disorders result from an extra chromosome in each cell. The extra chromosome causes birth defects and mental retardation. The risk of having a baby with an extra chromosome increases with the mother's age.

The ultrasound exam also checks for nasal bone, twins, and some other birth defects. The blood test measures two pregnancy proteins in the mother's blood, freeBeta-hCG and PAPP-A. The ultrasound measures fluid on the baby's neck, called the nuchal translucency (NT). This test is safe for both mom and baby.

A study published in this month's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that this screening method, which combines a blood test with an ultrasound exam, can pinpoint many fetuses with the common genetic disorder 11 weeks after conception. That allows women to decide sooner whether to undergo the riskier follow-up testing needed to confirm the diagnosis.

First trimester screening requires a written order or authorization from a referring physician. To schedule this study, please call 703-280-9800.