Expert B Reads for Pneumoconiosis.
Eastern Radiologists is a multi-specialty practice with more than 65 years in service. Our fellowship-trained, board-certified radiologists offer subspecialty imaging interpretation, including expertise in B Reads. Licensed in North Carolina and Virginia, our B Readers are NIOSH-certified and proficient in the ILO Classification system, able to review chest radiographs for the presence of occupational lung disease and other lung abnormalities.
NIOSH-Certified B Reads in NC and VA.
Eastern Radiologists’ B Readers have demonstrated proficiency in classifying radiographs of the pneumoconioses, earning certification by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This is a mandatory certification for physicians who classify chest radiographs for national pneumoconiosis programs, like the Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program, the NIOSH Coal Workers’ X-ray Surveillance Program and other industry-sponsored medical screening programs. Certified B Readers can be trusted to provide accurate and precise ILO classifications, thanks to this approach standardized by NIOSH.
In addition to surveillance and worker monitoring programs, B Readers are often engaged by NIOSH and other organizations to participate in epidemiologic evaluations and research studies, government programs and contested proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spinal fractures are twice as common as hip fractures and three times more common than breast cancer. They’re most common in postmenopausal women over 55. In fact, one in two women over age 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related spinal fracture. If a spinal fracture is left untreated, the vertebra may heal in the “broken” or “caved in” position, which can lead to increased forward curvature, or kyphosis, the medical term for the visible postural change that people refer to as a “dowager’s hump” or “hunchback.”
Patients over 50 who suffer from sudden onset, sharp back pain lasting longer than three days are good candidates for vertebral augmentation. Also, patients with diagnosed osteoporosis (any age), coupled with sharp, persistent back pain, can benefit from this procedure.
The complication rate for vertebral augmentation has been demonstrated to be low. As with any medical procedure, there are associated risks, including serious complications that are rare, but some of which could be fatal. These include heart attack, cardiac arrest (heart stops beating), stroke and embolism (blood, fat or cement that migrates to the lungs, heart or brain). Other complications include infection and leakage of bone cement into the muscle and tissue. Cement leakage into the blood vessels may result in damage to the blood vessels, lungs, heart and/or brain. Cement leakage into the area surrounding the spinal cord may result in nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis.
Interventional radiologists are specially trained physicians who use small catheters, stents and other minimally invasive devices, while watching their progress on X-ray or other imaging equipment, to diagnose and treat conditions. Typically, the interventional radiologist performs procedures through a very small nick in the skin. Interventional radiology treatments are generally better tolerated than surgery because they involve no surgical incisions, less pain and shorter hospital stays. Your interventional radiologist will work closely with your doctor or other health care provider to be sure you receive the best possible care.
Contact us.
To speak with one of our NIOSH-certified B Readers about how Eastern Radiologists can assist you, please contact Jenny Myers at jmyers@easternrad.com or 252.931.7633.