At Pacific Crest Orthopedics we have both X-ray and fluoroscopy machines in the office for quick diagnosis and evaluation of all orthopedic injuries. The machines are low radiation and give high-quality images. We can take immediate X-rays of most orthopedic injuries including injuries to the clavicle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, finger, hip, femur, knee, tibia/fibula, ankle, and foot. Each of these can be taken during your appointment and then read promptly by the provider for an efficient diagnosis.

During your initial evaluation with your provider, X-rays will be taken as a first step in the conservative treatment of your injury, and to support requests for prior authorization from your insurance for more advanced imaging (most insurance plans will not approve an MRI/CT request without X-rays). If your provider determines that further imaging is needed for additional understanding of your injury, an order for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT (computed tomography) scan will be made.

At Pacific Crest Orthopedics we have an MRI on-site at our Mission location suitable for imaging the elbow, wrist, knee, ankle, or foot. MRIs are used to diagnose certain soft tissue injuries and to further evaluate ligaments, cartilage, menisci, and other structures. MRIs are non-invasive and do not use ionizing radiation to produce images of the body, instead, radio waves and magnetic fields are used.

Your provider will order a CT at a neighboring imaging facility when a deeper understanding and more detailed measurements of a fracture are needed to make a treatment decision. While CT scans are non-invasive, they rely on ionizing radiation to produce images of the body and can be thought of as more detailed X-rays.

Once your insurance approves our prior authorization request (typically within 10-12 business days, but ultimately depending on your individual insurance plan), you will either be contacted to schedule your scan or you will be provided with the contact information of the neighboring facility to schedule on your own. We offer cash pay rates for MRI if you don’t have insurance, or don’t want to go through the hassle of waiting for prior authorization.

At Pacific Crest Orthopedics, your provider may perform an ultrasound-guided injection. It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses ultrasound imaging to help guide the injection. The ultrasound allows your provider to see structures such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints in real time, aiding accuracy and reducing the risk of complications.

Ultrasound imaging is non-invasive and uses sound waves to generate images of the body in real time.