The David & Judy Hess Children’s Imaging Center at Renown Children’s Hospital is dedicated to providing the latest technological advances in diagnostic imaging for children.

With northern Nevada’s only Pediatric Radiologist on staff, the Children’s Imaging Center provides comprehensive imaging services tailored to children. As the region’s only pediatric imaging facility, we allow families to schedule appointments close to home.

To learn more, call us at:

775-982-8100

Our Services

Children’s Imaging provides comprehensive imaging services for children with a team specially trained in pediatric radiology. We are proud to participate in Image Gently — a nationwide campaign working to reduce radiation exposure to children.

With stuffed animals, fun blankets, dedicated and specialized staff all in a kid-friendly environment, the Children’s Imaging Center at the Renown Children’s Hospital puts the comfort of our littlest patients first.


CT Scans
A CT Scan produces incredibly detailed 3D images of your child’s organs, bones, soft tissues and blood vessels. These images help doctors quickly answer urgent questions about your child’s health — like whether they’ve suffered internal injury or bleeding, for example. The exams are quick, painless and non-invasive: No part of the CT scanner ever touches your child.

CT scans use the same ionizing radiation used in conventional X-rays. But given the amount of additional information a CT provides, the benefits of an accurate diagnosis outweigh the risk of exposure to radiation during the exam. In emergencies, the ability of CT scans to quickly provide vital information can prove life-saving.

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Fluoroscopy
At the Children’s Imaging Center we use fluoroscopy X-ray technology to determine the health of your child’s urinary and gastrointestinal systems. Fluoroscopy allows healthcare providers to see the organs in motion — similar to an X-ray movie.

We provide the following fluoroscopy X-ray exams, tailored specifically to our youngest patients’ needs:

  • Upper Gastrointestinal (UGI) Series: An exam of the esophagus, stomach and the first section of the small intestine
  • UGI with Small Bowel Follow Through: An UGI that includes an exam of the entire small intestine
  • Contrast Enema: An exam of the rectum, colon and large intestine
  • Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG): An exam of the urinary tract, bladder and kidneys

Although fluoroscopy exams carry a small risk due to radiation exposure, the benefits far outweigh the potential for any adverse effects. Furthermore, these studies may be the quickest, least painful, and most effective method for determining the cause of your children’s health concerns.

If your child’s doctor recommends any of these tests, our staff welcomes your questions at any time. Here’s a glance at what you and your child can expect during fluoroscopy X-ray examinations.

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X-rays
X-ray imaging is the most common type of diagnostic radiology. X-rays are invisible beams of ionizing radiation that pass through the body and are altered by different tissues to create two dimensional images of bones, lungs and other organs, and some soft tissues. These exams are not painful, but they do require your child to remain still for the picture.

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MRI
An MRI scan is a safe and painless test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create incredibly detailed images of organs, bones and tissues within the body.

During the examination, radio waves manipulate the magnetic position of atoms in the body, and send out signals as they realign. The signals are transmitted to a host computer that translates the signals into clear, cross-sectional, black-and-white pictures of the scanned area. They can also be converted into three-dimensional images.

MRI scans are used to detect a variety of health conditions, including issues with the brain, spinal cord, bones and lungs. Because they produce more detailed images of the body than X-rays, CT scans or ultrasounds, MRI scans are particularly valuable for diagnosing problems with the eyes, ears, heart and circulatory system.

MRI’s ability to highlight contrasts in soft tissue makes it helpful in deciphering problems with joints, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. It can also be used to identify infections and inflammatory conditions or to rule out health concerns such as tumors.

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Cinemavision

With our new imaging technology — CINEMAVISION — you and your child can experience a MRI with less stress and worry. An MRI can be scary and noisy for children. Renown's new technology, Cinemavision, is designed to help soothe anxious patients and minimize claustrophobia that can disrupt exams.

With this technology, patients can enjoy movies and musical entertainment during exams. It’s like watching a 42-inch TV screen from about 6 feet away and reduces noise and allows for two-way communication between our technicians and you and your child — all while providing a more relaxing environment and more accurate and faster diagnoses.

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Ultrasounds
Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is a painless, non-invasive imaging technique that lets doctors look inside your child’s body without the use of radiation. It uses high-frequency sound waves to create pictures of organs, muscles, soft tissue and blood vessels. Furthermore, because radiation isn’t used, no risks are involved.

You’ll accompany your child to the scanning room where they’ll lie on the examination table — most patients won’t need to remove their clothes. Instead, the technician will move your child’s clothing aside where necessary.

The sonographer will apply warm gel and then place a transducer on that part of the body. A transducer is a small, microphone-like instrument. And when the sonographer moves it across the skin, it reads reflected sound waves to capture an accurate picture of what’s underneath. Your child might feel slight pressure and discomfort as the technician moves it back and forth.

To get a clear image, your child should remain as still as possible. The sonographer may ask your child to lie in different positions or hold their breath for a few seconds. The scan is quick: It usually takes 20 to 40 minutes.

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