Cullman Regional Outpatient Imaging Center

1958 Alabama Highway 157

Cullman, AL 35058

Phone: 256-735-5000 Scheduling: 256-737-2667

Hours of Operation

Mon - Fri: 7 am - 5 pm

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Location Information

Cullman Regional Imaging Center offers patients a wide range of outpatient diagnostic services in a convenient and patient-friendly environment. Services include MRI, CT Scan and digital radiology provided by our 45 nationally registered technologists. This facility provides dedicated outpatient focus designed to allow for ease of scheduling and reduced waiting times for patients while maintaining high standards for clinical quality.

Services Provided

A computed tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays to produce detailed pictures of structures inside the body. A CT scan is also called a computed axial tomography (CAT) scan. A CT scanner directs a series of X-ray pulses through the body. Each X-ray pulse lasts only a fraction of a second and represents a “slice” of the organ or area being studied. The slices or pictures are recorded on a computer and can be saved for further study.

The new top-of-the-line Scenaria 128-slice CT from Hitachi, now at Cullman Regional Imaging Center is the latest generation CT scanner that has been designed with integrated dose reduction technologies, including “iterative reconstruction” processing providing the lowest amount of radiation exposure possible and maintaining the highest image quality.

The 128-slice CT has the most advanced clinical capabilities and unique features to provide a notably more comfortable experience for all patients, from pediatric, to oncological, to elderly, and offers:

  • Lowest radiation exposure possible
  • Fastest scan times
  • Cardiac imaging capability
  • Large opening and wide
  • Accommodating for patients to 500 lbs
  • Powerful 3-D visualization tools

You should have nothing to eat or drink four hours prior to your exam if you are having IV contrast.  To receive the contrast injection, an IV is inserted into your arm just prior to the scan. If you are at least 60 years of age and will be receiving an intravenous contrast agent you will need to have completed recent blood work prior to exam.

Prior to most CT exams of the abdomen and pelvis, it is important to drink an oral contrast agent. You will be asked to drink approximately a quart of the liquid spread out over a two hour period. You may choose to stop by the center the day prior to your exam to pick up the oral contrast agent so you can begin drinking it at home two hours prior to your appointment. If you prefer not to make the extra trip, you can simply arrive at the center two hours prior to your scheduled exam time.

Prior to your visit:

  • Our staff will contact you prior to your scheduled appointment date to confirm your upcoming visit. To make your visit as quick as possible, we will make every effort to pre-register you for your visit.

On the day of your visit:

  • Please bring a photo ID, your insurance information and the prescription from your physician to your appointment.
  • Wear comfortable clothing.
  • You may eat, drink and take medications as usual unless you are having a contrast injection or are advised differently. Some tests will require fasting; our staff will advise you if this is necessary.

Following your visit:

  • Our radiologists will interpret your images and send a report directly to your doctor.  Your doctor will communicate the results of your exam to you.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and radiofrequency waves, similar to those used in an AM/FM radio, to produce images (or pictures) of organs and structures of the body. Sometimes, an intravenous contrast agent is used to provide more specific information. In many cases, MRI provides information that cannot be obtained from an x-ray, ultrasound or CT scan. For an MRI test, the area of the body being studied is positioned inside a strong magnetic field. The MRI can detect changes in the normal structure and characteristics of organs or other tissues.

Our new Hitachi Echelon Oval MRI is designed to provide a more comfortable, less claustrophobic procedure. All exams are feet first and our MRI is the widest wide-bore in the industry and provides up to 3X faster scan times.

Prior to your visit:

  • It is important to let our scheduler know if you have any metal implants, brain aneurysm clips, a heart pacemaker or defibrillator, ferrous metal in the eye or any other implanted material, as these may be contraindications to your exam. Your physician can consult with our radiologist to determine the appropriate test for you.
  • Our staff will contact you prior to your scheduled appointment date to confirm your upcoming visit. To make your visit as quick as possible, we will make every effort to pre-register you for your visit.
  • If you are at least 60 years of age and will be receiving an intravenous contrast agent in conjunction with your MRI exam, you will need to have completed recent blood work prior to your exam. Please be sure to discuss this with your physician prior to your scheduled exam date.

On the day of your visit:

  • Please bring a photo ID, your insurance information and the prescription from your physician to your appointment.
  • If you are having an MRI without the use of an intravenous contrast agent, you may eat, drink and take medications as usual unless you are advised differently. If your MRI exam will include an intravenous contrast agent, do not eat or drink for at least four hours prior to your scheduled exam time.
  • Wear comfortable clothing that is free from any metal, such as buttons and zippers. If this is not possible, we will provide you with a gown to wear during your exam. Female patients may also wear a sports bra.
  • Please remove all jewelry prior to your exam.
  • If you have any type of implant, please provide us with your implant card or the name and model of the implant (which would have been given to you at the time the device was implanted).
  • The exam takes about an hour, during which time you will have to lie still on a comfortable padded table. You will have access to listen to your favorite music via satellite radio.
  • We will try to make you as comfortable as possible during your exam. If you experience discomfort at any time, you will be able to communicate with the technologist through an intercom system.
  • During the exam, you will hear humming, clicking and thumping sounds coming from the equipment. There is no need for alarm, as these sounds are part of the normal functioning of this type of equipment.
  • For optimal imaging quality, it is important for you to remain as still as possible during the exam. Your technologist will provide pillows and pads to help you become comfortably positioned.
  • If your physician has given you sedatives to take for your exam, please do not take them until our staff tells you it is okay to do so. If sedation is taken, you will need to have someone drive you home after your appointment.

Following your visit:

  • Our radiologists will interpret your images and send a report directly to your doctor.  Your doctor will communicate the results of your exam to you.

An x-ray is a form of radiation, like light or radio waves, which can be focused into a beam. When x-rays strike a piece of photographic film or a screen, a picture is produced. Dense tissues in the body, such as bones, block (absorb) many of the x-rays and appear white on an x-ray picture. Less dense tissues, such as muscles and organs, appear in shades of gray, while x-rays that pass only through air, such as x-rays of the lungs or colon, appear black.

Digital x-rays achieve the same high quality picture as with film. An added benefit to digital x-rays is that they can be enhanced and manipulated with computers and sent via a network to other workstations and computer monitors, allowing practitioners in remote locations to access the images and assist in diagnosis.

The Proteus X-ray is a high-quality, low-dose radiographic system designed for a wide range of table, wall stand, wheel chair and stretcher examinations. The digital capabilities allow for films to be electronically transferred, resulting in faster reading.

Prior to your visit:

  • Our staff will contact you prior to your scheduled appointment date to confirm your upcoming visit. To make your visit as quick as possible, we will make every effort to pre-register you for your visit.

On the day of your visit:

  • Please bring a photo ID, your insurance information and the prescription from your physician to your appointment.
  • Wear comfortable clothing.
  • You may eat, drink and take medications as usual unless you are advised differently.

Following your visit:

  • Our radiologists will interpret your images and send a report directly to your doctor.  Your doctor will communicate the results of your exam to you.