Yes. Our department requires an order or a referral (sometimes called a requisition, order or request) from a physician for imaging examinations. This is similar to the requirements for patients to obtain prescription drugs or other doctor-ordered patient care items.

It depends on the examination. Outpatient plain films (for example, chest X-rays, or bone films like ankles or wrists) are performed on a walk-in basis at our outpatient sites. More specialized examinations are performed by appointment, including mammography (breast imaging), gastrointestinal examinations (such as upper GI series or barium enema), genitourinary examinations (such as an IVP), and ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.