Emergency Department Imaging

UMass Memorial Medical Center is home to the largest emergency department (ED) in the region. We have the latest technology and a highly experienced staff that cares for all emergencies, from the routine to the most serious.

The Only Level I Trauma Center in Central Massachusetts

We also are accredited by the American College of Surgeons as the only Level I trauma center for adults and children in Central Massachusetts. This means we provide the highest level of care to critically injured trauma patients.

24/7 Attending Radiology Coverage

Because a fast, accurate diagnosis is essential in emergency care, we provide around-the-clock final interpretation of your emergency imaging studies by attending, board-certified radiologists. Many other hospitals only have residents (doctors in training) who read scans overnight, or electronically transmit images to remote sites for preliminary reading.

The Latest Imaging Technology

At UMass Memorial, we offer a full range of the most advanced diagnostic imaging modalities. To ensure the fastest time to diagnosis and treatment, these services are available on site in our emergency department:

• X-ray
• Fluoroscopy (an imaging technique that uses X-rays to obtain real-time moving images of the body’s internal structures)
• Ultrasound
• CT (computed tomography)
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Special CT Scan to Evaluate Chest Pain

One of the newest imaging tools available in the ED is the coronary CT angiogram (CTA). It is used to rule out heart disease as a cause for acute chest pain.

• It uses intravenous (injected into a vein) contrast dye to help visualize the arteries of the heart to look for signs of heart disease
• It is very safe and non-invasive, so patients don’t have to have a cardiac catheterization or nuclear stress test