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Date:

July 1, 2004

Contact:

Lisa Fairlee

239-938-3500 ext. 210

FRC Announces Joseph E. Tienstra, Jr., MD as President
Ft. Myers, FL - FRC is proud to announce that Dr. Joseph Tienstra will be assuming the role of president as of July 1, 2004. 
Dr. Tienstra has been affiliated with Florida Radiology Consultants, P.A., since 1985, when he joined Smith, Hendra, and Gerson, M.D., P.A. He received his medical degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1980. Dr. Tienstra went on to complete his residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the Aultman Hospital in Canton, OH. In 1985, he completed a fellowship in Abdominal Imaging and Mammography at the Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL.
Dr. Tienstra is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology (1984), and is a member of the American College of Radiology, American Medical Association, Florida Radiological Society, Florida Medical Association, and the Lee County Medical Society.
Having been in southwest Florida for nearly 20 years, Dr. Tienstra has a long history with the medical community and understands the needs physicians have when it comes to diagnostic imaging. In the role of presidency, Dr. Tienstra will be a valuable asset to FRC and the surrounding medical community.
Dr. John Howard, the outgoing president, was instrumental in FRC's expansion into the outpatient world. His leadership successes are vast and far reaching in both the outpatient and hospital arenas. At FRC, he has been fundamental in instilling in the employees the true meaning of customer service and has done all possible to make sure FRC holds true to the high standards it has set forth. He has been and will continue to be a key player in FRC's continued successes. 
The decision to resign from the position of president was a difficult one for Dr. Howard. He hopes to spend more time with his family as well as practicing medicine.
Florida Radiology Consultants, P.A., (FRC) formerly known as Lee Radiology Physicians Group, has been providing Southwest Florida with radiological services for over 30 years. FRC operates three outpatient facilities: one in Cape Coral and two in Fort Myers. All three sites offer state-of-the-art imaging and interpretive services. Tests offered will include: MRI, CAT Scanning, Ultrasound, Bone Densitometry, Nuclear Medicine, ENT Radiology, Fluoroscopy, Pediatric Radiology, Cardiac and Vascular Imaging, Plain Film X-Rays, Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal, and Full Body Scans.
Date: May 6, 2004
Contact: Lisa Fairlee
239-938-3500 ext. 210

Helping to Keep SWFL Hearts Healthy…

Ft. Myers, FL - With over 55 million Americans having one or more forms of cardiovascular disease and with coronary heart disease being the number one killer of men and women in America, understanding and monitoring one's heart health is becoming more necessary.
And that is why at Florida Radiology Consultants (FRC) it is our mission to stay at the forefront of technology, and that means providing the medical community and SWFL citizens with the latest advances in diagnostic imaging. And in staying with our mission, we recently installed Cardiac Calcium Scoring at our Barkley Center located at 63 Barkley Circle, Suite 101.
What is Cardiac Calcium Scoring?
Cardiac scoring is a non-invasive screening test that utilizes a CT scanner to obtain cross-sectional images of the arteries to determine your coronary artery calcium content. The deposits of calcium in the walls of the coronary arteries are linked to the build-up of plaque that cause blockages in the coronary arteries. The deposits are measured and scored by cardiac radiologists by comparing your results with others of the same age and gender.
Risk factors that make an individual a candidate for Cardiac Calcium Scoring are:
  • High Blood Pressure 
  • High Cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Cigarette Smoking
  • Family History of Heart Disease
  • Obesity 
  • Stress
  • Inactive Lifestyle
  • Age - Men over 45 Years of Age; Females over 55 Years of Age
What is the Procedure Like?
The procedure is very simple, fast, and painless. The patient lies on the CT table as it moves into the donut-shaped scanner. They hold their breath for approximately 15 seconds while the scanner captures an image of their beating heart. The entire exam takes only a few minutes. That's it. No treadmills, fasting or injections! Once the results are collected, a copy of the report is sent to the patient and their primary care physician.
Viewed as a preventative health test, not all insurance plans cover the cost of a cardiac calcium scoring procedure. Individuals will want to check with their insurance carrier for information pertaining to their personal coverage. FRC does offer very affordable self-pay rates. For more information, please call 938-3500.
Florida Radiology Consultants, P.A., (FRC) formerly known as Lee Radiology Physicians Group, has been providing Southwest Florida with radiological services for over 30 years. FRC operates three outpatient facilities: one in Cape Coral and two in Fort Myers. All three sites offer state-of-the-art imaging and interpretive services. Tests offered will include: MRI, CAT Scanning, Ultrasound, Bone Densitometry, Nuclear Medicine, ENT Radiology, Fluoroscopy, Pediatric Radiology, Cardiac and Vascular Imaging, Plain Film X-Rays, Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal, and Full Body Scans.

Date:

March 22, 2004

Contact:

Lisa Fairlee

239-938-3500 ext. 210

FRC is Proud to Offer SWFL with a Superior Method Of Testing Bone Density - the QCT.

Ft. Myers, FL - At Florida Radiology Consultants (FRC) it is our mission to stay at the forefront of technology, and that means providing the medical community and SWFL citizens with the latest advances in diagnostic imaging. And in staying with our mission, we recently installed QCT - Bone Densitometry at our Barkley Center.

Both QCT (volumetric - mg/cc) and DXA (projection - g/cm sq.) technologies for determination of spinal bone densitometry are in common use, each with thousands of units installed worldwide. Although DXA has been considered the gold standard in diagnosing osteoporosis, QCT has a number of advantages in spine measurement to BMD over DXA in both detection of low bone density in patients and as an effective monitor of drug therapies. 

Below are a few facts as to why QCT is a superior method of testing for bone density:

  • Trabecular bone is the primary site of bone metabolism (calcium turnover); cortical bone is essential to providing support and structure. QCT is unique in providing the ability to generate a 3-dimensional image of the spine for BMD measurement where it is possible to isolate a region of interest (ROI) in the metabolically active trabecular bone component of the vertebral body for analysis. With more rapid bone turnover in the trabecular bone component, integral bone measurement by DXA projection is less sensitive to early bone loss. QCT isolation of trabecular bone results in higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy.

  • QCT exams include a lateral view or sagittal/coronal reformations of the spine that can be used to identify vertebral deformities or fractures so they can be eliminated from measurement. Fewer than 10% of DXA systems include the ability to inspect the lateral spine to eliminate inclusion of deformed or fractured vertebrae that can result in false positive results.

  • QCT isolation of trabecular bone also eliminates measurement errors that can occur in PA-DXA projection spine by inclusion of extraneous calcified structures resulting from degenerative disease, deformities/fractures of the spine or aortic calcifications. Many publications estimate DXA false normal results due to degenerative disease or extraneous calcifications in the osteoporotic population to be significant.

  • QCT phantom calibrated BMD measurements are not subject to variation in bone density values due to patient size. Projection BMD results can vary significantly with patient size. Areal density projection measurements of bone density result in higher values for larger patients and lower for smaller patients. The discrepancy in bone density values between large and small patients can be significant.

  • Exclusion of the cortical bone with QCT improves the ability to detect short-term changes in bone with drug therapy. DXA scans measure integral bone, both the active trabecular and slowly changing (approximately 8 times slower) cortical bone. Since the relative density of the cortical bone is so much higher than the trabecular, significant increases in drug effectiveness on bone metabolism may be masked.

  • Fewer artifacts occur with QCT for patients who have arthritis, scoliosis or who are obese, providing a more accurate evaluation.

  • With QCT, conditions in other organs are able to be seen, such as aortic aneurysms, kidney stones and masses.

  • QCT produces a 3-D image rather than a 2-D image seen with DEXA. This allows for bone components that you don't want to measure to be excluded instead of leading to misdiagnosis.

  • QCT can provide routine screening for bone mineral density in prostate cancer patients before androgen-deprivation therapy is initiated. Patients undergoing hormone treatment experience rapid bone loss markedly exceeding that associated with menopause. This bone loss, in turn, leads to a two- to six-fold increase in bone fractures especially those involving the hip.

Florida Radiology Consultants, P.A., (FRC) formerly known as Lee Radiology Physicians Group, has been providing Southwest Florida with radiological services for over 30 years. FRC operates three new outpatient facilities: one in Cape Coral and two in Fort Myers. All three sites offer state-of-the-art imaging and interpretive services. Tests offered will include: MRI, CAT Scanning, Ultrasound, Bone Densitometry, Nuclear Medicine, ENT Radiology, Fluoroscopy, Pediatric Radiology, Cardiac and Vascular Imaging, Plain Film X-Rays, Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal, and Full Body Scans.

Date: September 2, 2003
Contact: Lisa Fairlee
239-938-3500 ext. 210

NEW RADIOLOGY CENTER IS FIRST IN AREA TO USE WEB TO SEE IMAGES

Revolutionary program speeds data, increases communication, improves care.

Ft. Myers - Move over, catalog sites and pop-up banners - there's a new player on the Web. Florida Radiology Consultants has become the first health imaging center in the area to install a complete remote imaging system that will enable physicians to download patient test images to help secure faster results and improve communication.

According to John L. Howard, MD, president of Florida Radiology Consultants, the new technology - called Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) - will benefit both physicians and patients. "For our referring doctors, it means that they will receive test results much faster and much more securely than by other methods. For patients, it means shaving 'nervous time' down to just a few hours. And faster turnaround can only mean more timely diagnoses and treatments."

Dr. Howard is one of Florida Radiology Consultants' board-certified doctors, all of whom are looking forward to this exciting new process. "In the past, our patient's results depended upon a variety of factors and took several steps. Even something as simple as producing film the old way and delivering it via messenger could become a nightmare if some small piece of the puzzle does not fall into place."

PACS works by offering referring physicians the opportunity to review their patients' images - the ones they've ordered as a result of a patient examination - on a secure website hosted by Florida Radiology Consultants. After entering the appropriate and confidential access information, the doctor will see the new images, plus the radiology report that accompanies it.

"PACS is a quantum leap in improving healthcare. We are proud to be the first in the area to install a complete system at our imaging centers and at several referring physician offices, and we know that healthcare will improve as a result."

With three centers across Southwest Florida (506 S.E. 47th Terrace, Cape Coral; 6311 South Pointe Blvd. Suite 600, Ft. Myers; 63 Barkley Circle, Suite 101, Ft. Myers), FRC offers diagnostic imaging procedures that include MRI, CT Scan, Ultrasound, Bone Densitometry, Nuclear Medicine, Cardiac and Vascular Screenings, ENT Radiology, Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal Radiology and Full Body Scans. Call (239) 938-3535 for scheduling.