Raleigh Radiology Blog

Varicose veins are one of the most common vein problems, affecting millions of adults, and they tend to become more noticeable with age. If you have started to see enlarged, twisted veins on your legs, you may be wondering what causes varicose veins in the first place, whether you can do anything...

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and much of that burden comes from cancers that are found too late to cure. Screening changes that picture. For people at high risk because of their smoking history, a yearly low-dose CT scan can catch lung cancer early, when...

One of the most common questions women ask is when they should get a mammogram, and how often. The answer depends on your age and your personal breast cancer risk. Mammograms are the most effective tool we have to find breast cancer early, often years before a lump can be felt, and finding it...

If your mammogram report says you have dense breast tissue, you are far from alone, and it is not a diagnosis or a reason to panic. Breast density is simply a description of what your breast tissue looks like on a mammogram. Still, it matters for two reasons: dense tissue can make breast cancer...

If your provider has recommended a 3D mammogram, you may be wondering how it differs from the mammogram you have had before. A 3D mammogram is the most advanced mammographic technology available today, and it is quickly becoming the standard of care for annual breast cancer screening. October is...

If you have a mammogram coming up, especially your first one, a little uncertainty is normal. The good news is that a screening mammogram is quick, straightforward, and one of the most important steps you can take to find breast cancer early, when treatment is most successful. Here is exactly what...

If you live around Raleigh and your doctor just ordered a CT scan, you've probably noticed the order mentions contrast, either with it or without it, and wondered what that actually changes. Do you need contrast for your CT scan, or is that just a box someone checked on a form? The real answer...

You pull up your mammogram results and one phrase stops you: fibroglandular density. It sounds clinical and a little alarming, and the report doesn't always explain what it means. Here's what that term is actually describing, why radiologists track it, and what it does and doesn't tell you about...

You feel fine. No chest pain, no shortness of breath, nothing that would send you running to a doctor. So what is a calcium scoring CT, and who actually needs one if nothing seems wrong in the first place? Heart disease has a habit of building quietly for years before it announces itself. A...

Is hemorrhoidal artery embolization actually a better option than traditional hemorrhoid surgery? The honest answer is that it depends on your specific case, but understanding what separates the two can make that conversation with your provider a lot more useful. If fiber, ointments, and sitz...

If you ever feel a deep, nagging ache in your knee that comes with every step you take, and climbing the stairs or standing up out of a chair has turned into something you have to brace yourself for, this isn’t just another sign of getting older. There are millions of people across the globe that...

If you're trying to deal with heavy periods, cramping, bloating, or that constant feeling of pressure in your pelvis, you're not imagining things, and you're definitely not dealing with this alone. There are millions of women, just like you, that are living with this every single month, and for a...

If you're finding yourself waking up two, three, or four times a night just to use the bathroom, or you feel like you can never quite completely empty your bladder, you're not just getting older, this is most likely a sign of something else going on. There are millions of men dealing with these...