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For more information or to schedule your life preserving screening, contact the GRMC Radiology department at 641-236-2355.

Preventive Health Screens

Here for you ... before you need us.

We offer early detection options to identify preventable health conditions – while you still can do something about it. Ultrasound and CT screenings for heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis can be completed in the comforts of the GRMC radiology department. They’re fast, painless, and most important, excellent indicators of future health conditions.

To schedule these preventive screenings, call the GRMC Radiology department at 641-236-2355.

Discuss with your physician which screenings may be appropriate for you. Many diseases may show mild or no symptoms, even with severe disease.

Screenings available at GRMC

  • Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring: Provides a measure of the plaque and calcium inside the artery vessels on/around the heart. It can help a physician determine the amount of narrowing and likelihood of a cardiac event, usually a heart attack or heart damage.
  • Carotid Doppler Study: Provides a measure of blockage in the carotid artery, which is the main blood vessel leading to the head and brain. This study helps identify individuals at risk of stroke from stenosis.
  • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Study (AAA): Provides a view of the aorta, the blood vessel that nourishes the kidneys, abdomen, and lower body. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, commonly referred to as AAA, is an enlargement in aorta due to a weakening in the wall and if not corrected, it may rupture.
  • Ankle/Brachial Index (ABI): Provides a measure of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), often called artherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. PAD causes decreased blood flow to the arms, hands, feet, and legs.
  • Bone Density Screening: Provides measurement of bone mineral density and identifies thinning of bones (osteoporosis), which can lead to fractures.

What you need to know about our screenings

  • All screenings are early detection measures to identify cardiovascular and bone diseases while there is time to make positive changes. You and your doctor can determine together the screenings that are most appropriate for you based on your health history and risks. Information from these tests can be shared with your physician – your healthcare partner.
  • All ultrasound screenings are performed by ARDMS registered sonographers.
  • All screenings are performed in the comforts and privacy of GRMC radiology department

Preventive Health Screens
Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring
Carotid Doppler Study
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Study (AAA)
Ankle/Brachial Index (ABI)
Bone Density Screening

Prevention is Key
Vascular disease contributes to stroke or heart attack resulting in disability or death. However, even when severe disease is present, symptoms may be absent or mild. See below for warning signs of heart attack and stroke.

Heart Attack Warning Signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense -- the “movie heart attack,” where no one doubts what’s happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

  • Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.   
  • Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.   
  • Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.  
  • Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness 

If you or someone you’re with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other signs, don’t wait longer than a few minutes (no more than 5) before calling for help. Call 9-1-1... Have someone get you to a hospital right away.

Stroke Warning Signs
The American Stroke Association says these are the warning signs of stroke:

  • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body   
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding   
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes   
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination   
  • Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don’t delay. Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.