UCLA Health Santa Monica Radiology Services: Comprehensive Care and Advanced Technology

UCLA Health's radiology services in Santa Monica provide a wide array of diagnostic imaging and interventional procedures. A dedicated team of subspecialty radiologists, specialized nursing, technical staff, physician trainees, and talented managers work together to provide exemplary care. Their mission is to provide premier service levels to the communities they serve.

Comprehensive Radiology Services

UCLA Radiology outpatient centers offer the best of CT, US, MRI, X-Ray, and Interventional Radiology procedures, as well as consultation services. Additional specialized services are offered in areas such as breast imaging, cardiovascular radiology, emergency radiology, endovascular therapy, gastrointestinal radiology, genitourinary radiology, head and neck radiology, musculoskeletal radiology, neuroradiology, pediatric radiology, thoracic radiology, and ultrasonography.

The department continually strives to improve its services to both patients and healthcare providers. All images and reports are available to referring physicians over the web from physician offices or even from home via a secure network.

Why Choose UCLA Health for Radiology?

The radiology team at UCLA Health combines experience and technology to deliver exceptional diagnostic imaging services. The department has achieved international recognition for its research programs, and many faculty members are known worldwide as leaders in their fields.

Full Range of Diagnostic Services

UCLA Health radiology specialists provide all types of medical imaging services, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. They offer specialized services in breast imaging, pediatric imaging, acute care imaging, and more. These specializations ensure that patients receive the most advanced options for their specific conditions and needs.

State-of-the-Art Technology

Radiologists at UCLA Health use advanced medical imaging techniques to provide the most accurate radiological diagnoses possible. For example, they have a quantitative three-dimensional imaging lab where they combine high-resolution 3D images with powerful software. This technology provides an unparalleled ability to plan efficient and effective procedures.

Smooth Transitions of Care

UCLA Health coordinates care and shares diagnostic imaging results with primary physicians. Through UCLA Radiology Connections, patients can upload images directly to their provider through a secure portal. This service is also helpful when patients have had imaging at another institution that they’d like to share before their radiology appointment.

Access to Clinical Trials

The UCLA radiology team includes expert researchers who investigate new approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Patients at UCLA Health have access to a range of clinical trials, which offer more care options, including promising new treatments.

Research and Innovation

UCLA's interventional neuroradiologists are leaders in research and innovation. For example, they invented the MERCI device, the first approved device for opening brain vessels to treat acute stroke.

Specific Radiology Services Offered

The radiology team supports multiple clinical areas throughout UCLA Health, providing diagnostic imaging services for breast cancer prevention, varicose vein treatment, lung cancer screening, and more.

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Diagnostic and Imaging Services

UCLA radiologists offer a range of diagnostic and medical imaging services at their radiology centers, including:

Breast Imaging: UCLA Health leads the way in breast cancer prevention and diagnosis. The Mammography Center was the first of its kind in Los Angeles, and they were the first center in the area to offer breast ultrasound. They were also among the first centers in the region with the expertise and resources to offer 3D mammograms, which provide a better view of breast tissue.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT): HHT is a disorder in which blood vessels do not form properly, primarily affecting the skin, lungs, brain, or liver. UCLA Health has achieved certification with the HHT Foundation as a Center of Excellence in HHT treatment, providing full spectrum, coordinated care for screening, diagnosing, and treating HHT.
Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Clinic: An IVC filter is a small device that prevents blood clots from moving to the heart and lungs. Interventional radiologists use advanced technology to place, manage, and remove these filters.
Lung Cancer Screening: UCLA Health works with multiple specialists, including those in thoracic radiology, pulmonary medicine, and thoracic surgery, to detect and screen for lung cancer. They use low radiation dose computed tomography to detect lung cancer before symptoms appear.

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Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC): PICCs are small, hollow tubes placed through a vein in the arm. Radiology specialists conduct a full assessment to determine what type of PICC will best meet a patient’s needs and then place PICCs through a short procedure.
Prostate Imaging and Treatment: UCLA Health provides comprehensive and sophisticated imaging to detect, diagnose, and treat prostate cancer. New technology helps diagnose prostate cancer sooner and assists surgeons in planning minimally invasive surgery.

Treatments and Procedures

Radiologists at UCLA Health also provide treatment for certain conditions, including:

Interventional Neuroradiology: This specialized field involves using imaging and small plastic tubes to treat brain conditions such as aneurysms, strokes, and rare conditions like Moyamoya disease.
Interventional Oncology: This field of oncology focuses on image-guided cancer treatment, including biopsies and shrinking tumors. The UCLA Health team pioneered and developed the field of interventional oncology and now performs more than 500 procedures each year, making them one of the largest programs of this kind in the United States.
Interventional Radiology: With interventional radiology, UCLA Health uses minimally invasive techniques to treat conditions that used to require open surgery. These techniques lower patient risk and reduce recovery times. They treat complex conditions safely and effectively with minimal scarring or pain.
Neurosurgery Treatment for Essential Tremors: Radiologists partner with the neurosurgery team to offer an advanced treatment called magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound. This technique uses a special scanner, helmet, and ultrasound waves to treat the part of the brain that causes tremors. It can be an effective treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Uterine Fibroid Program: UCLA Health uses a unique team approach to diagnose and treat uterine fibroids. The care team includes the expertise of gynecologists, urogynecologists, interventional radiologists, and nurse practitioners, offering tailored treatment plans that promote women’s long-term health.
Varicose Vein Treatment: Radiologists offer comprehensive vein care and treatment for venous insufficiency, which causes the veins to swell and enlarge, leading to spider veins or varicose veins. They use a patient-centered approach to care, discussing treatments with the goal of improving quality of life.

Conditions Treated

Radiologists are crucial members of diagnostic teams. UCLA Health also offers minimally invasive treatments for a range of conditions, including:

Aneurysms: A bulge or weak spot in one of the arteries, often in the brain or the back of the knee.
Cancers: A large number of diseases where cells divide uncontrollably, then spread and destroy surrounding tissue.
Fibroids: Noncancerous growths that occur in the uterus, often during a woman’s childbearing years.
Stroke: An interruption to blood supply in the brain, either because of a blockage or a burst blood vessel.
Tumor: An irregular mass of cells that grows uncontrollably.
Tremors: Involuntary contractions or shaking in one part of the body, often in the hands, legs, or face.
Varicose Veins: Enlarged, twisted veins, most often in the legs.

Tests and Procedures Offered

UCLA radiology centers offer a range of techniques to view what’s going on inside the body, including:

CT (Computed Tomography): Using a combination of X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of the body.
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA): Using small doses of radiation to measure bone mineral density (the quality and strength of the bones).
Diagnostic Ultrasounds: Also called sonography, using high-frequency sound waves to view the structures inside the body.
Fluoroscopy: Using X-rays with a video screen to create a “movie” of the inside of the body.
Mammography: Using low-dose X-rays to examine breast tissue to detect and diagnose breast cancer.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Using radio waves and magnets to create detailed images of internal organs and tissue.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET): A technique that uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to show how internal organs are functioning.

The UCLA Radiology Team

The UCLA radiology team is made up of experts in radiological diagnosis and treating a range of conditions. They offer the full range of diagnostic services and use state-of-the-art technology.

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