What is Paediatric imaging?

Paediatric imaging is a subspecialty of diagnostic radiology focused on children, from babies through to young adults.

AdelaideMRI offers a comprehensive and child-friendly environment for paediatric imaging at AdelaideMRI East in Payneham. Our radiologist is qualified with a Paediatric Imaging Fellowship and has extensive experience working with children.

What are Paediatric imaging scans used for?

Paediatric Imaging techniques are used to diagnose injury or disease and in some cases may help avoid the need for exploratory surgery.

How do I prepare my child for a scan?

Please bring your doctor’s scan request form for your child, your Medicare card and any previous X-rays, scans, reports and films for your child. Preparation will vary depending on the type of scan and area of the body to be examined. Our friendly staff will advise you what preparation is required, for example, withholding food or drink from your child, when you book your appointment. You are welcome to ask questions regarding the examination at any time. If your child is nervous about undergoing an examination, it may help to inform them that medical imaging techniques should be entirely pain-free, and that the imaging machines will not touch them with any moving parts. If your child is claustrophobic, it may be wise to inform our staff prior to their examination. Please see the list below for more information about the various types of procedure your child may undergo.

What happens during a Paediatric imaging scan?

Paediatric imaging radiologists employ a range of techniques such as:

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans;
• CT (Computed Tomography) scans;
• Ultrasound scans; and
• X-ray scans.

Click on a scan type above to read a more detailed description of the processes, risks, and preparation.

Is Paediatric imaging safe ?

AdelaideMRI takes all measures to ensure Paediatric imaging scans are carried out properly and with the highest priority being the child’s wellbeing, including assessment for MRI readiness. Our paediatric radiologists are trained to understand which tests are most appropriate for a child at various ages, so that your child is given care that is relevant, appropriate and safe. In general, medical imaging has been determined as a safe and painless process by which to obtain diagnostic information. Please visit the page for the relevant scan type (X-ray, Ultrasound, MRI, or CT) for more information about the minimal risks associated with each procedure.

How much does a Paediatric imaging scan cost?

AdelaideMRI is committed to ensuring its imaging services are affordable, which means that it bulk-bills all Medicare-eligible Paediatric scans. Bulk billing means you have no gap payment and face no large unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. Please check if your scan is Medicare-eligible when booking. The Medicare schedule has very specific guidelines about which examinations are eligible. This will vary based on scan type.

MRI scans are subject to particularly strict guidelines. General Practitioners can refer patients younger than 16 years for Medicare-eligible MRI including:

• MRI Head (for unexplained headache, seizure, or non-responsive sinus disease),
• MRI Spine (any region, for significant trauma or pathology suspected with unexplained pain),
• MRI Hip (for suspected septic arthritis, slipped capital femoral epiphysis or Pethes’ disease),
• MRI Elbow (for suspected fracture or avulsion injury), MRI Knee (for internal joint derangement), and
• MRI Wrist (for suspected scaphoid fracture).

It is your choice where you bring your child for a Paediatric Imaging scan. Call us for an appointment with any referring doctor’s imaging request form.

Sometimes your doctor may require traditional large-format plastic images (‘hard films’). If so, let us know and we will print plastic images for you – a small charge of $20 applies for these copies.

Fees apply where a Paediatric scans are not Medicare-eligible. Please ask our reception staff when booking.

What happens to my child’s scan results?

Your child’s scan results are treated with strict confidentiality. Our radiologist or technician will talk to you before, during and after your child’s examination and can explain the images we produce, but may not be able to provide precise information about your child’s condition until the finalisation of a written report. A second radiologist may review the scan images. AdelaideMRI will issue your final report within the next 48 hours and send the results to your referring doctor with instructions for digital access of the images. As the images are digital, they are stored on our computer system for future reference. You should always discuss these results with your doctor.