Children's Hospital of Wisconsin radiologists have special training to care for infants, children and teens. Our radiologists are board certified or board eligible in pediatric radiology. Several of our radiologists have extra training and certification in interventional radiology, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and neuroradiology. It is important that the radiologists interpreting your child's studies have this level of expertise. Children are not small adults. Their bodies and health problems are very different from adults. We're experts at taking care of kids from birth to age 18.

It takes special training to get the best picture the first time. We have ways of taking images you will not find in a general imaging center. Our staff members are board certified in their fields and have additional training to get the best images in kids. For example, an adult radiologist may need images of your child's broken arm and the uninjured arm for comparison. Pediatric radiologists specialize in children's anatomy, so the second image may not be needed. Needing fewer images limits your child's exposure to radiation, saves you time and money.  

First, we review every order to see if another test with less radiation or no radiation would work. Children's Hospital has the latest technology and equipment to offer the lowest dose of radiation. We shield and protect sensitive body parts from radiation. We check dose levels on equipment before each scan and inspect dose reports every month. Physicists adjust our equipment every year.    

We distract kids to calm them and tell them what will happen so they feel comfortable. This helps improve image quality. It also reduces the need for medicine to relax your child or put your child to sleep. We show movies, blow bubbles and play with toys. Some of our radiologists are even known to sing to children!

Some kids need a higher level of comfort than distraction can provide. Sedation can ease pain and make your child more comfortable. A pediatric board certified doctor is there when a child is sedated. Sedatives are powerful medicines, and having a doctor there makes it safer for your child.