Imaging Services FAQ

With the exception of diagnostic mammograms, all of our imaging services have openings within 10 business days from the day you reach out to us to schedule.

Yes we can! Insurance coverage/authorization will need to be verified prior to having exam completed but please contact our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 for all URGENT requests.

Appointments can be made directly by calling our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656.

If your doctor's office faxes us prior to you reaching out to schedule an appointment, we will confirm insurance eligibility, submit an authorization request (if needed) then contact you for scheduling.

Our Imaging Center contracts with most insurance plans. Depending on your insurance coverage, your plan may have special requirements like pre-authorization for certain procedures. Below is a list of some of the insurances we work with, directly:

• Aetna*
• Blue Cross*
• Blue Shield*
• Cigna
• HealthNet
• Medicare
• Medi-Cal
• Unitedhealthcare*

*Not all plans are accepted. Please contact our office at (559) 450-6742 with any questions.

Every imaging exam and screening has a different charge. Once the exam has been scheduled, our authorization team can provide an estimate specific to the type of exam you've requested.

Yes! Our team verifies insurance eligibility for every patient and we also submit authorization requests on behalf of referring physicians. We must have current notes from a physician in order to submit an authorization request.

Typically, routine cases will be completed with 3-5 business days.

Urgent (or, STAT) cases will be ready to review within 24 hours; depending on the time when the exam is complete, same-day results may be available.

Saint Agnes Medical Center (SAMC) physicians will have direct access to imaging reports in EPIC. Non-SAMC physicians can access patient reports through the EPIC Care link. In any instance, referring providers can also contact our Imaging Center directly and request reports and CDs containing images.

Our Imaging Center provides patients access to various types of imaging tests (or, modalities), including:

• Breast Biopsy
• Breast MRI
• Breast Ultrasound
• CT
• DEXA
• Mammography
• MRI
• Ultrasound
• X-ray

Saint Agnes Imaging Center provides patients with state-of-the-art imaging technology. Our MRI machine is a 1.5 Tesla Wide Bore magnet; our CT is a 64-slice scanner capable of performing magnetic resonance angiograms (MRAs) and delivering high-resolution imaging.

Saint Agnes Imaging Center is in the process of submitting accreditation for MRI, CT and Ultrasound with the American College of Radiology™ (ACR).

The Saint Agnes Breast Center was recently accredited by the ACR for three breast care services:

• Breast Ultrasound
• Mammography
• Stereotactic Biopsy

Each accreditation is valid for three years and represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. These accreditations are only awarded to facilities that meet specific requirements based on ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.

In addition to following all ACR guidelines for every modality, we also adhere to all imaging safety guidelines and protocols as put forth by Saint Agnes Medical Center Radiology.

Patient preparations vary for each type of exam. Please contact our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 to speak with a care team member about any preparation questions. Patients can also download the MyChart app, select Saint Agnes Medical Center, and access any information about their exam.

This answer will vary; some patients will need to fast and certain medications will need to be withheld for specific exams. Please contact our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-6565 to speak with a care team member about food and medication guidelines prior to your exam.

If you need to undergo an exam with contrast imaging, you will be asked to fast for four (4) hours prior to your exam, with the exception of water. For specific requirements, please contact our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 to speak with one of our care team members.

Saint Agnes (SAMC) physicians will have direct access to reports via EPIC. Non-SAMC physicians can access their patients' reports through the EPIC Care link. In any instance, referring providers can contact our Imaging Center directly and request reports and/or CDs containing images.

If you would like to speak with a specific radiologist, please contact our Imaging Center at (559) 450-6742 and someone from our team will connect with the physician on your behaf and have them contact you directly.

Our team will handle all follow-up imaging needs, in regard to all mammography studies, as required by law. Additional non-breast imaging is the responsibility of the referring provider to send requests for additional imaging.

CRITICAL results will be delivered over the phone directly from the radiologist to the referring physician—these conversations will expedite any need for additional imaging. If imaging is completed and we discover critical findings, we will facilitate to get the patient admitted to our emergency department, as needed.

All of our equipment comes with padding that is created by technology manufacturer Siemens to make every exam as comfortable as possible for every patient. If you require special accommodation, please notify a member of our scheduling team so we can allow additional time for your study to make sure you are as comfortable as possible.

Our Imaging Center is home to a wide-bore MRI Unit meaning it measures 72 centimeters wide and has a weight limit of 500 pounds. To help ease potential concern or anxiety, patients can schedule a fit test or come by our Center to see the unit prior to scheduling.

Please call our team at (559) 450-6742 and ask to speak with our Charge Technician and they will coordinate a fit test and be able to answer any questions you may have.

We have multiple areas where patients and partners can wait. We do ask that patients arrive 30 minutes prior to their appointment/scan time. For some exams, our team may ask that you arrive 60 minutes prior to your test to drink an oral contrast (if needed).

Our team will give you a confirmation call prior to your appointment to review everything you need to know for your exam.

If you'd rather, you can always call our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 to speak with a care team member to confirm what time you'll need to arrive and if any special preparations will be needed.

Our Imaging Center is open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours for various exams vary by department, however.

Please call our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 with questions about hours of operation. 

Our front parking lot has 80 parking stalls reserved specifically for patients and visitors. Staff can park on the north side of the facility.

We currently do not have any special services for pediatric or elderly patients.

While we can perform non-contrast exams for pediatric patients, we cannot perform any CT for patients under the age of 18. For elderly patients, we can accommodate more time for their exam/appointment, if needed.

Please contact our Scheduling Department at (559) 450-5656 if you require any special accommodations such as wheelchair assistance, help standing up or changing, etc.