Patient experience

Often patient families come into a procedure without knowing what the experience will be like. Here are some questions:

• What is the prep for that exam?
• What steps are taken to reduce radiation exposure to my child?
• Will the child need sedation?
• Is the parent allowed in the imaging room?
• Are siblings allowed in the imaging room?
• Will my child be uncomfortable?
• What does your referring provider need from us?

Our radiologists

Children's Wisconsin radiologists have special training to care for infants, children, and teens. Our radiologists are board certified or board eligible in pediatric radiology. Several of our radiologists have extra training and certification in interventional radiology, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and neuroradiology. It is important that the radiologists interpreting your child's studies have this level of expertise. Children are not small adults. Their bodies and health problems are very different from those of adults. We are experts at taking care of kids from birth to age 18.

Special skills are needed to take medical images of children. Children's imaging staff have these special skills. This means we take fewer pictures. We are always looking for new ways to improve safety and quality. To do this, we invest in technologies and equipment that reduce radiation exposure. We also reduce the dose of radiation to the lowest amount possible for each child. We use just enough to get high quality images.

It takes a lot of special training to get the best image the first time. We have ways of taking images that you will not find at a general imaging center. Our staff members are board certified in their fields and have additional training to get the best images in kids. For example, a radiologist for adults may need images of your child's broken arm and the uninjured arm for comparison. But pediatric radiologists specialize in children's bodies, so they may not need the second image. Taking fewer images limits your child's exposure to radiation and saves you time and money.

Child emotions

We distract kids to keep them calm and tell them what will happen in language that they can understand to help make them as comfortable as possible. Taking these steps can help improve image quality. It can also reduce the need for medicine to relax your child or put your child to sleep. We show movies, blow bubbles, and play with toys. Some of our radiologists even sing to children!

Sedation

Sedation can ease pain and make your child more comfortable. A board-certified pediatric doctor will be there to supervise if your child is sedated. Sedatives are powerful medicines, and having a doctor there makes it safer for your child.

Results

The results of the imaging exam will be sent to the ordering provider. The ordering provider will review all clinical information and provide results to the patient and family. Questions regarding the results of the imaging exam should be discussed with the ordering provider. The ordering provider will receive the results of the imaging exam within 24 hours however the average turnaround time is 4 hours allowing your provider to make clinical decisions faster.