Annual Car Wash and Rummage Sale to support Chico Relay for Life is scheduled for May 18th at North Valley Advanced Imaging!

As the presenting sponsors of the 2013 Chico Relay for Life, North State Imaging and North Valley Advanced Imaging will hold their annual Car Wash and Rummage Sale in the North Valley Advanced Imaging parking lot at 1638 Esplanade in Chico, on Saturday May 18th from 8am to 2pm.  Donations will be accepted and all proceed will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Relay for Life is a 24-hour community event that raises money for the American Cancer Society and allows participants to “celebrate, remember, and fight back” against cancer.  “Last year, over $300,000 was raised through Relay for Life in Chico alone,” says Tracie Fox, who serves as team captain for the local radiology group. 

“The car wash and rummage sale is one of several Relay fundraisers that we hold each year as a team and usually brings in over $1000,” she continues.  “This money will help us to hopefully reach our goal of raising $25,000 this year for the American Cancer Society.  $10,000 of that is a sponsorship donation to ACS from North State Radiology.  “Since we diagnose the vast majority of cancer in this community, we see firsthand the devastating effect that cancer can have in the lives of patients and their families,” says Donald Decker, MD, a radiologist and President of North State Radiology.  “Sponsoring and particpating in Relay for Life is one way that we can give back.” 
This year’s Chico Relay for Life will be held on June 8th and 9th at Pleasant Valley High School and the entire community is welcome to attend.  For more information go to www.relayforlife.org/chicoca. 

Attend a FREE Varicose Vein Screening at North State Interventional Radiology on Tuesday May 14th from 4pm to 7pm at 1702 Esplanade in Chico.  

One of our interventional radiologists specializing in vein care will review your history and examine your legs to determine if you could be one of the 30 million Americans suffering from Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), a progressive medical condition that worsens over time if left untreated. 

This is a walk-in event, no appointment is necessary.  Please wear shorts or loose fitting pants and click here for more information on varicose veins and our Total Vein Care services which are covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most private insurance. 

• Screening_Flyer_beach_walkers

North State Imaging is designated as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence for the second year in a row! 

North State Imaging has been recognized as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program (NQMBC) for the second year in a row!  This distinguished honor, which is the highest certification level available through the NQMBC initiative, represents a continued commitment by the imaging center to provide the highest level of quality breast health care to patients in the community. 

“This re-certification is the culmination of intensive data entry that measures and tracks our performance as meeting rigorous quality standards criteria,” says Dr. Jim Schlund, Director of Breast Care Services at North State Imaging.  “Our highly skilled staff works hard to ensure that we meet or exceed the high standards of care put forth by the NQMBC.” 

The designation is reserved for a very select few of the participating mammography centers nationwide.  North State Imaging is 1 of 37 centers nationwide to receive this recognition, and 1 of only 6 in the state.  “We are currently the only breast imaging center from Northern California to the Washington border to achieve this distinguished recognition and are pleased to be able to offer this level of high quality breast care services to residents of the North State and beyond.” 

North State Imaging’s Women’s Imaging Team consists of a unified team of technologists and radiologists specially trained in breast imaging.  The center is ACR (American College of Radiology) Accredited and MQSA (Mammography Standards Quality Act) compliant. 

More information on the NQMBC certification program and the ACR Accreditation program can be found on their websites at www.nqmbc.org and www.acr.org/accreditation. 

Do you have varicose veins, pain, swelling, or fatigue in your legs?  Varicose veins aren’t just a cosmetic issue.

Attend a FREE Varicose Vein Screening at North State Interventional Radiology on Thursday January 31st from 4pm to 7pm at 1702 Esplanade in Chico.  

One of our interventional radiologists specializing in vein care will review your history and examine your legs to determine if you could be one of the 30 million Americans suffering from Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), a progressive medical condition that worsens over time if left untreated. 

This is a walk-in event, no appointment is necessary.  Please wear shorts or loose fitting pants and click here for more information on varicose veins and our Total Vein Care services which are covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most private insurance. 

Free Screening Mammography Clinic to be held at North State Imaging on October 20th!  Soroptimist International Bidwell Rancho will sponsor the 3rd annual “Operation Mammogram” as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Women in the United States have a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime.  However, the death rate from this disease has declined in recent years and studies have shown that regular screening with mammography can reduce mortality by up to 29% in women over 40. 

“When breast cancer is detected early before it has spread, and often before there are any signs or symptoms of the disease, the 5-year survival rate is 95%,” says Dr. Jim Schlund, Director of Women’s Imaging at North State Imaging.  “This is why it is so important that women follow the American Cancer Society guidelines recommending annual breast cancer screening with mammography beginning at age 40.” 

Unfortunately, many thousands of women are without health insurance or the means to pay for this life-saving exam.  The local chapter of the Soroptimist International Bidwell Rancho is stepping in to fill this need in our community by sponsoring “Operation Mammogram” for the third year in a row.  Uninsured women over age 40 who cannot afford to pay  the cost are eligible to receive a free screening mammogram at North State Imaging on Saturday October 20^th from 8am-12pm.  They must reside within Butte or Glenn counties and be without signs or symptoms of breast disease.  No appointment is necessary, it is on a walk in basis.   Additional follow-up exams resulting from the clinic will be funded by the Canyon Oaks Women’s Golf Club’s Bridging the Gap for Breast Cancer Fund, which currently covers diagnostic mammograms on uninsured or underinsured residents of Butte or Glenn counties, and the California Health Collaborative. 

Sally Mendez and Celina Paniagua, chairpersons for the Bidwell Rancho Soroptimist group, encourage all women who meet the eligibility criteria to take advantage of this once a year opportunity to come out and receive this potentially life-saving exam.  “This event, combined with other state and local programs, makes it possible for EVERY woman who needs a mammogram to be able to get one,” says Mendez.  “We served over 150 women at last year’s clinic and if we save even one life then it’s all worth it!” says Paniagua. 

For additional information on the free clinic, please contact North State Radiology at (530) 898-0510 or download the flyer:

• Operation Mammogram Flyer 2012

Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is a worldwide organization of professional women who work through service projects to advance human rights and the status of women.  Bidwell Rancho is a local chapter of Soroptimist International and meets twice a month from September through June.  For more information on Soroptimist International Bidwell Rancho, visit http://www.sibidwellrancho.org.

Depo-Medrol Recall

It was recently reported on CNN and other news outlets that methylprednisolone 80mg/mL preparations have been recalled because of a cluster of infections associated with them in the Southeast. All the recalled products were produced by New England Compounding Center (NECC). There have been no Western US cases nor any cases associated with our medication supply chain. We do not receive any medications from NECC, nor do we administer the 80mg strength that was recalled. Our distributor of this medication, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, has not issued a recall, nor do we anticipate one. We have a high level of confidence in our supplier and they have an excellent track record.

This news should not affect the care that our spinal injection patients receive in any way. We will, however, keep you apprised should anything change.

Our thoughts and hearts go out to the patients and families affected by this outbreak. This is also a tragedy for the providers who obtained medications from a large and reputable source and now are a direct part of this horrific outbreak. Steroid injections are safe. Thousands are administered every year and countless numbers of patients obtain relief as a result. The number of patients who develop severe complications as a result is incredibly low. The incidence of infection is thought to be less than 1:100,000 and death is exceedingly rare. However, the opportunity to provide people with meaningful relief for ongoing pain is significant.

For additional information on the recall, click here. 

You can also view a detailed list of healthcare facilities that received lots of Methylprednisolone Acetate (PF) recalled from New England Compounding Center on September 26, 2012 (http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis-facilities-map.html)

Do you have varicose veins, pain, swelling, or fatigue in your legs?  Varicose veins aren’t just a cosmetic issue. 

Attend a FREE Varicose Vein Screening at North State Interventional Radiology on Wednesday September 26th from 4pm to 7pm at 1702 Esplanade in Chico.  

One of our interventional radiologists specializing in vein care will review your history and examine your legs to determine if you could be one of the 30 million Americans suffering from Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), a progressive medical condition that worsens over time if left untreated. 

This is a walk-in event, no appointment is necessary.  Please wear shorts or loose fitting pants and click here for more information on varicose veins and our Total Vein Care services which are covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most private insurance. 

• Varicose Vein Screening flyer

North State Radiology is a proud sponsor of the 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Open golf tournament to help raise funds for diagnostic mammogram exams.

The Pink Ribbon Open golf tournament will be held on Sunday October 7th at Canyon Oaks Country Club. It is sponsored by the Canyon Oaks Women’s Golf Club and is a fundraiser for the “Bridging the Gap for Breast Cancer Fund” which provides funding for diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound services for uninsured or underinsured women under 40 and men of any age. Eligible patients must reside in Butte or Glenn counties and meet income requirements. Exams are performed at North State Imaging and require a referral from a licensed medical provider.

“The Bridging the Gap for Breast Cancer Fund served over 100 women last year who otherwise would not have had the means to pay for their diagnostic breast imaging exams,” says Fran Wedow, a member of the Canyon Oaks Women’s Golf Club and Director of Funds for the Bridging the Gap program. “Community members who participate in the tournament can rest assured they are making a difference by helping to ensure that life-saving tests are available to the underserved in our community.” The fund also awards scholarships to graduating students dealing with breast cancer issues in their families and distributes Chemo Comfort Bags to breast cancer patients starting treatment.
North State Radiology is a proud sponsor of the tournament and is appreciative of the work that the Canyon Oaks Women’s Golf Club puts into the tournament each year. “We are very fortunate to have this locally funded program available to help those without the means to pay for these life-saving exams,” says Tracie Fox, a representative for North State Radiology.
In addition to golf there will be a silent auction, a live auction for an Aaron Rodgers signed football, and the grand prize raffle drawing for a Pebble Beach Golf Package for Two valued at over $2,600! Raffle tickets can be purchased prior to the event at North State Radiology 1720 Esplanade in Chico. For more information or to sign up call the Canyon Oaks Pro Shop at 343-1116.

We are pleased to announce that we have recently added a specialized Vascular Technologist to our staff and are now performing the following vascular ultrasound examinations at our center:

Venous Insufficiency “Reflux Study”:  This study is commonly used to assess the venous valves for venous insufficiency, the underlying cause of varicose veins.  This test is commonly ordered by our primary care physicians or our interventional radiologists when evaluating patients presenting for varicose vein treatment.

Upper/Lower Extremity Doppler:  To evaluate for deep vein thrombosis.

Renal Artery Doppler:  To assess for renal artery stenosis and facilitate treatment planning. 

Lower and Upper Extremity Arterial Doppler:  To assess for peripheral arterial disease, claudication symptoms, to check the patency of grafts, and to localize and grade the severity of stenoses. 

Pseudoaneurysm Doppler:  To diagnose and characterize pseudoaneurysms and facilitate treatment planning by our interventionalists. 

Superior Mesenteric Artery/Celiac Artery Doppler: To assess for stenosis and facilitate treatment planning. 

We hope that the expansion of our vascular ultrasound services will be of benefit to patients and their referring providers.  Medical providers or patients with a health care provider’s order can call North State Imaging at (530) 898-0500 to schedule an exam. 

Prior to joining North State Radiology, he worked as a P.A. in the Radiology Department of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center performing biopsies and other procedures. 

The addition of Kyle to the group will augment the services that our radiologists provide.  He will assist with and perform various procedures and consultations at both the interventional clinic and the local hospitals, allowing us to expand the level of service we provide to the community.