3-D ultrasounds will be offered at the new Center for Women’s Imaging.
Center for Women’s Imaging opens
Sacks
Hinton
A new center offering the latest in 3-D ultrasound services has opened in the Crystal Terrace building off West End Avenue. The Center for Women’s Imaging, which places an emphasis on ultrasound for obstetrical and gynecological applications, began serving patients July 14.
Dr. Glynis A. Sacks, associate professor of clinical radiology, is director of the new center. She recently recently rejoined the faculty at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She spent the past 15 years working in the private sector as a sonologist in Nashville.
The center, which has a novel ultrasound machine that produces live images in 3-D, will provide targeted, level three obstetric examinations and first trimester screening for aneuploidy and sonohysterography.
“Offering 3-D is very important, as this is the most recent development in ultrasound imaging and puts Vanderbilt on the leading edge of technology in this field,” said Dr. Martin P. Sandler, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences. “3-D imaging is not a replacement but an adjunctive procedure that may help confirm an impression on 2-D studies or better demonstrate an abnormal finding to both the patient and the referring physician.”
Sacks said it is important to have realistic expectations for the 3-D images, as the images are dependent on the gestational age of the fetus, its position and the amount of amniotic fluid.
“As with most emerging technologies, there is also a learning curve,” she said.
Sacks is joined by Dr. Alice Hinton, assistant professor of radiology and radiological sciences.
“Our primary goal is to provide service of the highest quality in a patient- and physician-friendly environment,” Hinton said.
Hinton, who received her medical degree from Vanderbilt School of Medicine, recently re-joined Vanderbilt’s faculty after 15 years as a specialist in women’s imaging in Nashville.
“Hinton and Sacks are joining a well-established group in women’s ultrasound at Vanderbilt, including Drs. Arthur Fleischer, James Andrews and Ewa Grzeszczak,” said Sandler.
Sandler said the center will provide top care to Vanderbilt and non-Vanderbilt patients with the convenient location and immediate feedback from procedures to referring physicians.
The center is working to schedule patient appointments within a short time frame. In addition with a staff of sonographers, at least one physician will be present at the center at all times, according to Sacks.
“We are a crossover between the advantages of a academic center and the advantages of a private setting. We’ve melded the two together,” Sacks said.