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Lifesaving Style

Advanced Imaging has the equipment and approach to save lives

At Advanced Imaging, life-saving discoveries are all in a day’s work.

“Pretty much every day we’re catching breast cancers on screening exams,” said radiologist Dr. David Bauer. “That’s exactly why we do screenings – when we can catch these things when they’re small and non-invasive, the treatment options are plentiful and survival is almost one hundred percent.”

Visitors to Advanced Imaging’s Main Center in Missoula—located by Community Medical Center—are welcomed into a calming environment of live plants and serene artwork of flowers and waterfalls. Patients will find a similar friendly environment at Advanced Imaging’s dedicated screening mammography locations in Stevensville and North Reserve, both of which accept walk-ins.

“That’s to bring the outside in,” said clinic manager Jenny McGuinn. “It was designed to be a comfortable, warm environment. Most radiology departments don’t have daylight. They’re in the middle or the basement of a hospital.”

Inside one of the patient rooms, the automated breast ultrasound system (ABUS) is designed to detect abnormalities in very dense breast tissue. McGuinn adjusts the dimmer in the room where a patient might have a screening or a discussion with a radiologist. It’s a small but notable detail that carries that comfortability to a new level of consistency and care.

“We’re very patient-centric,” Bauer said. His job often entails giving someone unfortunate news but there’s a silver lining that often sparks hope for patients. “It’s a heightened moment and letting them know there is someone there who cares is really critical,” he continued. “The amazing thing about being part of that person’s life in that moment is those are the things they’ll remember forever."

In addition to breast imaging, Advanced Imaging also offers spine injections and various exams performed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. These screening imaging services as well as diagnostic imaging, aid in the diagnoses and the treatment of cancers, diseases, and other illnesses and injuries. In the Northern Rockies Orthopaedics building across the street from the Main Center, interventional radiologists lead the Advanced Imaging Vein Clinic for treating varicose veins.

Kim Latrielle, who had a cancer scare earlier this year, credits Advanced Imaging with saving her life.

“Advanced Imaging provided crucial and accurate reports that guided my surgeon in achieving successful results in removing all cancer,” said Latrielle. “Their professionalism, dedication, and promptness were instrumental in my journey to recovery.”

And for other patients, a reduction in pain can be just as life-changing. CT-guided spine injections offer instant relief to patients who are hoping to avoid back surgery.

“It’s a very satisfying feeling to see that direct impact on someone,” added Bauer.

Advanced Imaging also serves as an emergency medical imaging provider for Community Medical Center. Lives can be saved knowing the extent and location of injuries, and sometimes, in emergency situations or diagnostic scans, the radiologists discover other medical issues.

“Incidental findings—there’s a ton of those that lead to something good,” said executive director Stacy Jakob. “My dad had a scan done on his heart, and it had an incidental finding on the lung.” Ultimately, she said, her father was able to avoid chemo due to the early detection.

Advanced Imaging’s style of care centers around its tagline, “Quality for life,” and folks seem to be constantly working toward an even higher standard. For example, in December, Advanced Imaging added a 3T MRI machine, which is the only one of its kind in the Northwest and is especially good for prostate cancer detection. The “T” stands for “tesla”, and the 3T model has twice the magnetic field strength of the clinic’s still operating 1.5T MRI.

“Resolution is incredibly improved, and speed is incredibly improved,” McGuinn said, noting a trend toward higher resolution images and faster imaging in the industry. “That’s good for us, for patient throughput, and patient comfort.”

Jakob agreed, “For those who are nervous, the quicker you can finish the exam and get good pictures is very helpful.”

Similarly, soon the CT scanner will be upgraded to a Siemens Dual Source model.

“The main idea for that was to do more advanced cardiac imaging,” said McGuinn. “The whole goal of all of us being here is to provide quality care and quality imaging, and make people comfortable.”

Another way Advanced Imaging emphasizes patient comfort is by offering CinemaVision, a piece of technology that allows kids to watch movies while undergoing tests. “They can lie there and watch Nemo,” said McGuinn. And if that fails, sedation is also available, both for kids and adults who might be claustrophobic.

“We want to make sure patients are comfortable, safe, and well cared for,” said Bauer. “Patients leaving here have that feeling.”

“Advanced Imaging provided crucial and accurate reports that guided my surgeon in achieving successful results in removing all cancer.” - Kim Latrielle

“The amazing thing about being part of that person’s life in that moment is those are the things they’ll remember forever." - Dr. David Bauer