A Drug-Eluting Stent is a small metal mesh tube placed inside an artery to help keep it open. It slowly releases a medication into the vessel wall to reduce the chance of re-narrowing. It is most commonly used in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. It is typically implanted during a catheter-based procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Bone scan is a nuclear medicine imaging test that shows how actively bone tissue is remodeling. It uses a small amount of radioactive tracer and a special camera to detect “hot spots” and “cold spots” in the skeleton. It is commonly used to evaluate unexplained bone pain, possible fractures, infection, or cancer spread to bone. In spine care, it can help localize which vertebrae or joints are most metabolically active when symptoms and other imaging do not fully match.

A Coronary Stent is a small mesh tube placed inside a heart artery to help keep it open. It is most commonly used during a catheter-based procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The goal is to improve blood flow to heart muscle when a coronary artery is narrowed or blocked. Stents are used in both urgent heart-attack care and planned treatment for stable symptoms.

MR myelography is a type of MRI that highlights the fluid spaces around the spinal cord and nerve roots. It is used to look for narrowing, blockages, or abnormal outpouchings in the spinal fluid pathways. It is commonly used in spine clinics and hospitals to evaluate neck, mid-back, and low-back symptoms. It can complement a standard spine MRI when the question is specifically about nerve root sleeves and cerebrospinal fluid flow.

Balloon Angioplasty is a catheter-based procedure used to open a narrowed or blocked blood vessel. It works by inflating a small balloon inside the vessel to improve blood flow. It is commonly used in the heart’s coronary arteries and in arteries supplying the legs, kidneys, or other organs. It is often performed during the same session as diagnostic angiography (contrast X-ray imaging of vessels).

Contrast-enhanced MRI is an MRI scan performed before and after a contrast agent is given, usually through an IV. The contrast helps certain tissues stand out more clearly on MRI images. It is commonly used in spine, brain, and musculoskeletal imaging to evaluate inflammation, infection, tumors, and postoperative changes. It is a diagnostic tool, not a treatment.

Angioplasty is a catheter-based procedure used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels. It most commonly treats coronary artery disease in the heart, but it can also be used in other arteries. A small balloon (and often a stent) is used to improve blood flow through the vessel. It is usually performed in a cardiac catheterization laboratory (“cath lab”).

STIR sequence is a type of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan designed to suppress fat signal. It makes fluid-related changes—like swelling (edema) and inflammation—stand out more clearly. STIR sequence is commonly used in spine and musculoskeletal MRI to look for “hidden” bone, disc, and soft-tissue problems. Radiologists and spine specialists often use it when pain is unexplained or when injury, infection, or tumor is a concern.

PCI stands for percutaneous coronary intervention. It is a catheter-based procedure used to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. It is commonly performed in cardiac catheterization laboratories in hospitals. It is used for both urgent heart attack care and planned treatment of coronary artery disease.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention is a catheter-based treatment used to open narrowed or blocked heart arteries (coronary arteries). It is most commonly performed during coronary angiography in a cardiac catheterization laboratory. The goal is to improve blood flow to heart muscle when a coronary artery is significantly narrowed or suddenly blocked. It often involves balloon angioplasty and, in many cases, placement of a coronary stent.