Medical imaging is also known as ‘getting a scan’. These scans might include X-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI scans and others. Depending on the kind of image your doctor needs, you might need to avoid eating or drinking before your scan. We will make sure you know what you need to do before you come in for an appointment.
Our location
The main medical imaging department is at Cairns Hospital on the Ground Floor of C Block, Cairns Hospital.
A PET scanner is on the ground floor in the Liz Plummer Cancer Care Centre in E Block, Cairns Hospital.
Opening hours
The Cairns Hospital Medical Imaging department is open Monday to Friday from 8 am until 5 pm, with a 24/7 after-hours service provided for inpatients and the Emergency department.
Appointments are required for CT, procedures, MRI, ultrasound and PET CT. Our multidisciplinary team includes specialist doctors, radiographers, sonographers, specialist nurses, administration staff and clinical assistants.
Medical imaging procedures and scan types
X-rays are the most common imaging procedure. They are used to look inside the body - usually to see broken bones, the chest or teeth - and use very low amounts of radiation. The procedure usually takes just a few minutes.
Ultrasound scans assess internal organs and help to diagnose a variety of conditions. They use high frequency sound waves to take a picture of organs, muscles or your baby.
An ultrasound is a painless procedure, but you may feel pressure or minor discomfort from the probe if a tender area is scanned.
The ultrasound will take 1 to 60 minutes, depending on the body part being scanned and the type of investigation needed.
These scans use 'live' X-rays to see your internal structures as they move. They show your blood vessels and your gut in action as they work.
The CT machine looks like a large doughnut with a narrow table in the middle that the patient lies on. The table moves through the circular hole in the centre of the scanner and the machine is open at both ends so patients are unlikely to feel claustrophobic.
For some scans, you will be asked to hold your breath for up to 20 seconds.
The procedure is painless and takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes, depending on what part of the body is being scanned.
The scanner uses a rotating X-ray machine and powerful computers to make a 3D picture that can show internal organs, blood vessels and bones.
MRI is an advanced imaging method that uses a strong magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to create detailed pictures of the body. It does not use X-rays or medical radiation.
Like the CT machine, the MRI looks like a large doughnut with a narrow table in the middle that the patient lies on. The table moves through the circular hole in the centre of the scanner.
The procedure is painless, but some people find that being inside the MRI machine makes them feel uncomfortable due to the confined space of the tunnel. If this occurs, let staff know.
All metal objects must be removed from your body - for example, jewellery, glasses and mobile phones - before the procedure.
A PET scan is an imaging test that uses radioactive material to diagnose a variety of conditions. A PET scan provides a picture of the body working, not just a picture of its structure, like some other scans and is performed in a machine similar to the ‘doughnut-shaped’ CT machine.
If you have a PET scan, you’ll be given an injection of a small amount of short-acting radioactive liquid, known as a tracer, which gives off energy in the body, and can be seen by the scanner.
Medical imaging services in rural and regional facilities
Medical imaging services are available at nine rural and regional hospitals and health centres in the Cairns and Hinterland region.
Atherton Hospital
X-ray, CT, ultrasound
Atherton Hospital’s Medical Imaging department provides X-ray, CT and ultrasound services, with appointments scheduled between 8 am and 5 pm. Radiographers provide a 24/7 service for CT and X-ray scans for emergencies and urgent inpatient needs.
Innisfail Hospital
X-ray (including dental X-ray), CT, ultrasound
Innisfail Hospital provides a wide range of X-ray and CT examinations with a 24/7 on-call emergency service for ED, inpatient and inter-hospital transfer patients from Babinda and Tully hospitals. Medical imaging appointments for all types of scans are scheduled between 8 am and 4 pm.
Mareeba Hospital
X-ray (including dental X-ray), CT, ultrasound
Mareeba Hospital provides X-ray, CT, theatre imaging and ultrasound services. Medical imaging appointments for all types of scans are scheduled between 8 am and 4.30 pm.
Mossman Multi-purpose Health Centre
X-ray (including dental X-ray), ultrasound
Mossman Hospital's Medical Imaging department provides X-ray and ultrasound services. Radiographers provide a 24/7 service for emergencies and urgent inpatient needs. Appointments are scheduled between 8 am and 4.30 pm.
X-ray operator sites
X-ray operators, who might also be nurses or other trained support staff, provide basic x-ray services for urgent inpatient and emergency patients at the following hospitals and health centres:
- Babinda Multi-Purpose Health Centre
- Croydon Primary Health Centre
- Georgetown Primary Health Centre
- Tully Hospital*
- Yarrabah Emergency Service
* Tully Hospital: Radiographers from Innisfail Hospital provide general X-ray services for outpatients at Tully Hospital on Wednesday between 9 am and 3 pm.