Our Approach
There might come a time when part of your child’s care involves a trip to Pediatric
Radiology. It could be to have an x-ray of a broken bone, to get an image of an internal
organ, or to diagnose and treat a problem with the way something is functioning inside
your child’s body.
The pediatric radiology department at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia consists
of two full-time pediatric radiologists and a staff of dedicated pediatric technologists
who use advanced imaging equipment to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of children
from birth to age 21.
Why Choose Us
We believe it’s important that your child receives their exam from board-certified
pediatric radiologists, and skilled radiographers and sonographers, who are highly
trained in imaging procedures and techniques specifically set up with children in
mind. When your child comes to us, we provide:
- A Pediatric Imaging Suite: Our state-of-the-art Pediatric Imaging Suite is specially equipped to diagnose and
treat children using the latest technology, like SkyFlow low-dose x-ray and 256-slice
CT scanner, all located under one roof.
- Board-Certified Radiologists: At the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, we also employ the region’s only board-certified
pediatric radiologists. Pediatric radiologists are specifically trained to understand
children’s unique bone structures and their disease processes, so they are the most
well-equipped to read and interpret these imaging scans and diagnose diseases and
disorders in children.
- Skilled Radiographers: Our pediatric team is trained to administer the proper radiation dosages for children
to ensure your child receives the lowest exposure possible. We have experience in
helping children overcome their fears of the large, and sometimes noisy, imaging machines.
If your child is still anxious, we offer Pediatric Sedation Services to help calm
them so that they remain still, allowing us to complete their exam successfully.
Pediatric Imaging Suite
The first steps to a positive imaging experience
When you enter our main waiting area your child will be set at ease with soft lighting,
comfortable chairs and an interactive video wall where they can play games and immerse
themselves in a virtual world of fun, all before they go into an exam room.
Families who prefer a more private waiting space may use the patient lounges inside
the Pediatric Imaging Suite - a series of cozy nooks, flanked with intimate seating,
and illuminated in colorful lights.
Our kid-friendly touches
Patients are greeted by bright colorful wall murals as they come back to their test
room. Our staff lets children choose the lighting color and theme for their room - complete with visuals and sounds. This helps to give a sense of
control to your child that will help them relax before their exam.
For CT scans, children can choose a character to be a “test patient” for our “kitten”
scanner, a miniature simulated CT scanner. This allows a “show-and-tell" opportunity
between our staff and your child to explain how the CT scan will work, this helps
to calm any fears or anxieties.
Easing your child's fears
Because our radiographers and radiologic staff are specially trained to work with
children, they know how to “kid” around! They also,
- answer any questions your child may have to help them get over their fears and worries.
- explain what is happening so that your child will cooperate with instructions during
the exam.
- ensure your child is comfortable, relaxed, and will remain still throughout his or
her radiological exam.
Preparing for a Procedure
During your child’s imaging procedure our specially trained radiographers work with
you and your child to ensure they are comfortable during their procedure. In many
instances, little or no preparation is required for your child’s exam. But for certain
tests, your child will need special preparation:
Upper GI Series and Esophagram (Barium Swallow)
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During this test, we will take images while your child is drinking barium, a white
chalky liquid, to examine how liquids move through the upper GI tract. These images
may be taken while they are lying on their side or on their back.
Preparation for an Upper GI:
- 0 – 1 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 3 hours prior to exam
- 1 – 2 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 4 hours prior to exam
- 3 – 19 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 8 hours prior to exam
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Modified Barium Swallow (with Speech Therapy)
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Your child will sit in a chair and will drink barium, which is a white chalky liquid.
They may drink several different consistencies. They may also eat applesauce, pudding
or a cracker with barium mixed in.
Preparation for Modified Barium Swallow:
- 0 – 1 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 3 hours prior to exam
- 1 – 2 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 4 hours prior to exam
- 3 – 19 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 8 hours prior to exam
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Small Bowel Follow Through
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Your child will have to drink barium, which is a white chalky liquid. After your child
drinks the barium, we will wait 30 minutes to take an image of the abdomen to see
how far the barium has moved through the small bowel. After the initial scan, we will
continue to take abdominal images approximately every 30 minutes to see the passage
of the barium through the small bowel. This test can take anywhere from 30 minutes
to several hours, depending on how rapidly the barium passes through.
Preparation for a Small Bowel Follow Through:
0 – 1 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 3 hours prior to exam
1 – 2 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 4 hours prior to exam
3 – 19 years of age: NOTHING to eat or drink 8 hours prior to exam
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Barium Enema
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Your child will have an enema tip placed into their rectum, and we will put a special
contrast liquid called gastrografin into the rectum through the tube.
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Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG)
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Your child will have a catheter placed in their bladder. We will run a special contrast
liquid called Cysto-Conray through the catheter into the bladder. Once the bladder
is filled, we will ask the child to empty their bladder on the table.
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Abdominal Ultrasound
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Your child will lay on a stretcher and have ultrasound gel placed on the abdomen and
be imaged with a small handheld transducer.
Preparation for an Abdominal Ultrasound:
Nothing to eat or drink for 3 hours prior to the exam.
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