CT Capabilities at The Urgency Room

What Is a CT Scanner?

Computed tomography, or CT as it’s widely known as, is commonly used to quickly and accurately detect internal injuries. While a CT scanner functions differently than an X-Ray machine, it still uses X-Rays as a means of taking images of different parts of the body. Much larger than a traditional X-Ray machine, CT scanners use a gantry, which is a large metal circle that stands vertically. When receiving a CT scan, the patient lays flat on a bed that moved through the center of the gantry. While the bed moves horizontally through the gantry, moving X-Ray tubes within the gantry rotate around the patient, capturing images from all angles instead of just one like with a standard X-Ray.

A CT scanner’s X-Rays make full rotations around a patient in order to capture “slices” of the patient. Instead of receiving a flat image, physicians are able to obtain images of internal cross-sections that they can assemble, take apart turn and examine from different angles. The resulting 3D images enable physicians to be able to examine the skeleton, organs and tissues of a patient while trying to pinpoint abnormalities such as bleeding, fluid or tumors.

When Do You Need a CT Scan?

When your medical urgency calls for more information than a standard static X-Ray can provide, a CT scan may be in order. CT scans are quick and painless, and they provide a vast amount of crucial information in regard to internal injuries specifically as they can detect blood vessels and soft tissues along with bones. For example, if you are feeling severe internal discomfort when you come into your nearest Urgency Room, a CT scan could see if you’re suffering from excess fluid or internal bleeding—things a standard X-Ray may not detect as well.

CT scanners are excellent tools to detect:

- Broken bones

- Tumors

- Infections

- Blood clots

- Excess fluids

- Cystic fibrosis

- Injuries from trauma

Along with being able to detect and locate those internal abnormalities, a CT scanner can also help physicians identify issues such as heart disease or cancer. As with a standard X-Ray, you must be free of metal jewelry or accessories before getting a CT scan. In some instances, you may be asked to take or be injected with a substance called a contrast medium. When taken by mouth or injected through a vein, a contrast medium will help highlight specific areas to be examined during a CT scan. It could help identify a clot or internal bleeding among other medical problems.

Having a CT scan taken of your body can take just minutes with our advanced equipment. Once completed, our physicians will be able to examine the results on digital images of your internal injuries or ailments. The CT scan is a very safe and reliable procedure that helps physicians at your nearest Urgency Room identify, assess and treat what could be causing you pain and discomfort.

X-ray Capabilities at The Urgency Room

Why You Would Have an X-ray Taken?

X-rays are great for identifying bones, metal or other X-ray-absorbing materials within your body to identify potential problems. While X-rays are great for clearly identifying cracks or fractures in bones, they can identify many other potential medical problems as well. Some reasons you might need an X-ray include:

Bone Problems:

- Fractures

- Infections

- Arthritis

- Cavities in your teeth

- Osteoporosis

- Bone tumors for identifying cancer

Chest Problems:

- Breast cancer

- Enlarged heart

- Lung infection

- Clogged blood vessels

Abdomen Problems:

- Miscellaneous swallowed objects

- Digestive tract

X-ray testing is one of the best ways to examine a suspected broken bone. By taking images from multiple angles, these X-rays can show a physician what type of a break you have, the severity, and what can be done to stabilize and heal the bone. But beyond bones, X-rays are also absorbed by dense fusions, which is why arthritis and osteoporosis can be detected.  

Other ailments such as sinus infections can also be keenly identified using X-ray testing. Normal, healthy sinuses are usually clear of blockage and full of air, which makes them appear black on an X-ray as nothing is present to absorb the rays. When an infection is present, the buildup of mucus or pus in the once clear sinuses will absorb rays and leave a shadow on the X-ray film. This same theory applies to detecting infections in other airways or cavities that are clear or empty when healthy.

Sometimes you may be asked to ingest or receive an injection of a contrast medium. Usually made of barium or iodine, this contrast medium absorbs X-rays and can reveal potential medical problems when examining areas like the digestive tract. In rare occasion, contrast medium can cause some side effects. X-rays requiring the aid of a contrast medium may also take longer than a standard X-ray.

Winter Break Fever

We all remember counting down the days of school until winter break as a child. With a week or more off of school and the added excitement of the holidays there is a chance that the change in a child’s routine could compromise their health. If your child comes down with a fever during their winter vacation there are a few things that you can remember when you are caring for them.

The higher the temperature does not mean the more serious the illness in most cases. Some illnesses do not cause a fever at all.  It is important to take the age of the child into consideration when understanding the severity of a fever.  Call your pediatrician or seek medical attention for children 3 months of age and younger with a rectal temperature of 100.4 and above.  As infants and children get a little older you can take their behavior and activity level into account when understanding the severity of their fever. 

While they can be scary, fevers are normal reactions for children and the body’s internal mechanism for fighting infection. Children, especially younger kids, are likely to get fevers as their bodies are still learning to control and adapt themselves. Some fevers are even caused from overheating while playing and exercising.

There are a number of ways to reduce a mild fever in children at home.  Children 6 months and older can use a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, always consult your pediatrician with specific dosing questions or instruction. Baths are also a great way to lower a child’s body temperature but can be counterintuitive.  You may think a cold bath will be just the thing to calm them down but that is the opposite of how you should respond. Surprisingly, a simple warm bath will help to bring their temperature down and is often one of the best remedies for relieving a fever.  Remember to offer plenty water and liquids to avoid dehydration and always encourage as much rest as possible.

Winter break is one of the most blissful times of the year for a child. If they come down with a fever keep these things in the back of your mind. For more detailed information from one of our doctors watch the following video about fevers in children.

10 Things You Didn't Know About the UR

There is more than what meets the eye when you come to The Urgency Room. We thought we would create a post for the things you might not know about the UR!

1. Our radiology technicians come from St. Paul Radiology. The wonderful people at the UR take your x-rays and ultrasounds are actually employees of St. Paul Radiology. We who were so impressed with their skills that we wanted to collaborate!

2. Every UR has a candy drawer. The UR and it's employees contribute to the candy drawer to keep it well stocked. When that occasional chocolate craving hits, we are ready!

3. The average patient visit is 90 minutes or less. No matter how serious this injury or illness the UR averages a 90 minute or less from door to discharge. We think that is pretty impressive!
                                            

4. Our staff shares meals on holidays. Even when our employees are working to take care of patients on the holidays, they still get to enjoy a holiday meal with their UR family.

5. We have access to local clinics medical records. With your permission, we can access your electronic medical records from your primary care provider. In addition, your records can then be electronically sent from the UR to your regular doctor for review or follow up care.

6. We have COWs at the UR. Well maybe not actual cows, but we have Computers On Wheels. We have scribes at the UR who go room to room with a doctor and document the visit. The scribes use COWs to make the documentation process more efficient for the patient and provider.
                                                              

7. Woodbury is the only one of our three locations that was created from an existing building and was once a video rental store. After gutting out the building we were able to turn the old video store into a state of the art medical facility. We bet the original builders would have never imagined it was going to become a free standing emergency room!

8. Between the three URs, we go through almost 450 bottles of water per month. The URs have a drink fridge at each location for our ill patients. Though we stock juice, sports drinks and lemon lime soda, water is the number one beverage we go through.

9. The UR has its own YouTube Channel!  You can find our board-certified emergency physicians on YouTube providing educational information on some of the most common things we see at the UR.  Some of our videos have almost 100,000 views!

10. The physicians, PAs and NPs that staff our Urgency Rooms also work in the ERs of 5 of our main Twin Cities hospitals.  You could see your doctor at the UR or working in the ER of Mercy, Unity, Southdale, Ridges and Methodist hospitals.  Needless to say you are in very capable hands during your visit to the UR. We only hire the best and the brightest!

St. Paul Urgent Care at The Urgency Room

If you’re looking for emergency medical care in the Twin Cities metro area, The Urgency Room provides you with the perfect solution. We provide exceptional, patient-focused emergency care in a comfortable, inviting environment. With our innovative concept that joins the speed of an urgent care facility with the diagnostic capabilities and state of the art equipment hospitals use, we’ve made a difference when it matters most to our patients.

For Minneapolis and St. Paul urgent care, we provide the most convenient options with our three locations. 

• UR Woodbury

Address: 7030 Valley Creek Plaza, Woodbury, MN 55125

Phone: (651) 789-7000

• UR Eagan

Address: 3010 Denmark Ave, Eagan, MN, 55121

Phone: 651-789-9900

• UR Vadnais Heights

Address: 1159 East County Rd E, Vadnais Heights, MN, 55110

Phone: 651-789-6500

Whether you’re calling ahead or simply walking in, we’ll provide you with the best and fastest emergency care in the Twin Cities. With private treatment, consult, observation, and procedure rooms, we can give you the best care available without the long wait.

We’re in your neighborhood, so don’t wait to visit us next time you have an emergency situation. Learn more about The Urgency Room and how we set ourselves apart from the competition at UrgencyRoom.com today.