Your doctor may have ordered a radiographic study to obtain more information about your child’s condition. These studies may include an x-ray of the chest or abdomen, upper GI series (x-ray study to evaluate the anatomy/shape of the esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine), ultrasound of the abdomen, CT (computed tomography), MRE (magnetic resonance enterography; an MRI of the abdomen/pelvis that is specifically designed to evaluate for inflammation of the intestines).
How do I schedule the radiology test? Where do I get the study done? Will my insurance cover the test?
Please check with your insurance company regarding coverage of tests and which radiology centers are covered in your insurance plan. You may want to inquire about a pediatric imaging center when scheduling, which may be able to provide an especially child-friendly environment. Some centers can also offer a team that specializes in supporting the children during their test (sometimes called “Child Life”).
Some centers utilized in our area are listed below.
- Inova: 571.472.1645
- Children’s National Medical Center
- Main campus (Washington, DC): 202.476.4700
- Rockville, MD: 301.765.5700
- Fairfax Radiological Consultants: 703.698.4444
How do I obtain the results of my child’s study?
Your physician should receive a written report within a couple of days detailing the study results. Please contact your GI doctor’s nurse to notify us when a test has been done, so we can know to follow-up on the results. Please also contact your physician’s nurse if you have not received the results from us within 2-3 days.
If the study is done at a center listed above, your physician should have access to both the report and the study images. If the study was done at a center other than one of those above, we recommend you obtain a copy of the images on a disc in case your physician needs to review the images him/herself.
The radiology center may fax the results to our office at 703.839.8764.