Dr Gina M. Caravaglia
Nuclear Medicine
In the spring of 2009 CCOM Medical Group opened its State of the Art Nuclear Imaging Center. Our nuclear medicine department is headed by Dr Gina M. Caravaglia, Board Certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. Dr Caravaglia is a graduate of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and Nuclear Medicine Residency, Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Illinois. Dr Caravaglia has extensive research experience in Nuclear Medicine, Breast Cancer Imaging, and Meta Mammography and has been extensively published. The CCOM Nuclear Medicine Department is the only nuclear medicine facility in Muskogee that has a dedicated nuclear physician on site, and it is one of the most advanced full service nuclear medicine facilities in the region.
CCOM Advantages...
CCOM's General Electric Corporation Millennium MG nuclear camera is capable of scanning patients up to 450 pounds and is the only unit in this area equipped with the "attenuation correction" enhancement. Attenuation correction is a technique of using quantitative methods to correct images for the effects of attenuation which results in less false-positive test results. This is especially important for patients who have thicker body masses, weighing in excess of 300 pounds. CCOM offers nuclear studies in an array of modalities and is available to medical specialists, surgeons, and primary care physicians. You are more than welcome to contact us for a private tour of our facility.
Nuclear studies available to order:
- Cardiology
- Muscle Skeletal
- Endocrine
- Gastrointestinal
- Renal
- Hepatobiliary
- Pulmonary
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
We offer several types of nuclear stress cardiac imaging scans including pharmacologic induced (persantine, adenoscan, or lexiscan) and treadmill version. This test is used to identify the patient's risk for Myocardial Infarction. It also demonstrates wall motion and non invasive estimation of left ventricle ejection fraction that give adequate results without using invasive heart catherization.Right and left sided MUGA's are available to assess ejection fraction.
Bone Scans are available in Limited, Flow, Whole Body or SPECT format, and are especially useful in identifying acute fractures, compression fractures, osteomyelitis, shin splints, occult stress fractures, metastatic cancer, benign and malignant bone tumors, metabolic disease that affect the bone, Rhabdomyolysis, or RSVD.
Thyroid Uptake and Scans are available to evaluate goiters and thyroid function, as well as Parathyroid Imaging for possible parathyroid adenomas. Thyroid therapy for hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer are also available by consultation.
Our facility is available for assessment of acute GI Bleeds and evaluations for Meckels Diverticula. Gastric emptying studies to assess for gastroparesis or dumping syndrome are also available. This study is available in both liquid and solid processes.
Renal scans available include: 1) GFR studies that assess the glomular filtration rate without a 24 hour urine collection and offer analysis of renal function; 2) Captopril studies assessment for the possibility of renal artery stenosis which may be responsible for renal hypertension; 3) Diuretic Renal scans to access obstructive hydronephrosis, non obstructive dilation due to vesicoureteral reflux; 4) DSMA Renal scans to look at kidney morphology associated with scaring, Pylonephritits, renal masses or pseudo tumors.
HIDA scans for assessment of acute and chronic cholestasis are available. Gallbladder ejection fraction are available at request as are Liver Spleen scans.
Lung ventilation/perfusion scans are used for the assessment for pulmonary embolism and quantitative lung perfusion scans for pre-assessment of lung transplant patients.
Lymphoscintigraphy is available and performed for identification of sentinel node prior to breast, vulva or melanoma surgery. Breast imaging is helpful to localize palpable tumors not visualized on mammogram, or when looking for multicentric tumors.
Most studies available for adults are available for pediatric patients. Those of most interest are Cystogram for assessment of bladder reflux, skeletal imaging, and evaluations for Meckels Diverticula.