The ultrasound department does approximately 1000 exams annually.  These exams consist of abdominal, gynecological, obstetrical, small parts (breast, thyroid, knee) and venous doppler (to rule out blood clots of the veins of the legs).

The purpose of both these departments is to provide diagnostic images at the request of the physician in order to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient’s condition.

 A qualified radiologist reports all images.  Reports are then sent to the referring physician.  Dr. Claude Vezina is our chief radiologist. Both Dr. Claude Vezina and Dr. Pat Garces are the Timmins and District Hospital radiologists who report all of our images.  The average turn around time for a report is 2-3 working days.  If an urgent report is needed in the case of a trauma, a verbal report request can be made to the Timmins and District Hospital’s radiologist.  These verbal reports can be received the same day and if urgent enough can be within minutes.  This is all thanks to the technology of PACs and therefore improving patient care.

 Approximately 1200 ECG’s are performed annually.  This quick and simple test immediately gives the physician an overview of the patient’s cardiac activity. 

 Holter Monitors are a dynamic electro-cardiogram.  They entail the patient wearing a monitor for 24 hours and going about his or her normal activities.  The patient’s cardiac activity is recorded onto a memory card.  This memory card then transfers the information through a computer system so a cardiologist in Sudbury can interpret the information.

Approximately 125 of these exams are done per year.

 The Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor is relatively new to the department.  This test consists of the patient wearing a blood pressure cuff that is attached to a monitor for a period of 24 hours.  The monitor records the patient’s blood pressure at predetermined intervals.  The patient returns to the hospital once the 24 hour period is up, the monitor is removed and the information is downloaded into the computer where the results are printed out.  This test allows for multiple blood pressure readings to be recorded through out the day where a patient may feel more at ease and may detect different pressures that may occur at different times of the day.

 The department is staffed Monday to Friday from 8: am to 4:00 pm and covered by an "on call" system weeknights, weekends and statutory holidays.

 Echocardiograms and Carotid Dopplers will soon be added to the ultrasound department’s list of exams performed here at the hospital.  The Echocardiogram is a specific ultrasound that examines the heart.  It evaluates the valves, chambers, and wall motion.  It also provides details of the blood flow through the valves to determine if there is any narrowing of the opening of the valves.  The carotid doppler exam evaluates the blood flow through the carotid arteries of the neck. This test determines if there are any calcifications that may cause narrowing or blockages of the vessel that will cause a decrease amount of blood flow to the brain.

 The Englehart and District Hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Department is always looking at ways to improve the quality of care and continues to keep up with the advances in technology for the best patient care.