Radiology staff provides rapid response at Osan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Patients in critical condition are limited on time. For internal injuries impossible to see with the naked eye, they rely on the 51st Medical Operations Squadron radiology department for results.

Providing more than 200 to 300 diagnostic scans each week, radiology proves that with proper training and the right equipment, patients with broken bones, head injuries and pregnancies can be in and out of the department in minutes.

"We deal with patients 24/7," said Staff Sgt. Casey Grizzard, 51st MDOS diagnostic imaging technologist. "It's very rewarding when you can help a patient, especially someone who's critical. You're a step in the process of saving their life. Those minutes are critical, and our imaging helps the doctors diagnose what's wrong so they can properly treat (patients) and quickly."

With the capabilities at Osan, technicians can do regular X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography, and C-arm with fluoroscopy, which is capable of identification of foreign objects inside the body, Grizzard explained. One top-of-the-line machine here that helped saved a significant amount of time is the 64 slice scanner, a machine delivered to several bases in Pacific Air Forces.

"This machine is a lot faster," she said. "There is a quick turnaround time and essentially no delay in patient care because the machine does not need a cool down period. We can take one patient right after the next."

Also unique to the radiology department is the type of patients they treat. As members of the Air Force, military working dogs also get first class treatment.

"The military puts in a lot of money into our working dogs, and they get the same health benefits as our service members," Grizzard said.

Timing is also important for animals as body scans require them to be completely still for a clear picture. The machines in the clinic are able to process images in minutes, and they can be sent to other bases in a timely manner if needed.

"The times of carrying big scans in your hands are over," she said. "With our technology, we can send the scans over the computer, or we can just put it on a CD."

For Staff Sgt. Gilbert Martinez, as a diagnostic ultrasound technician, the pressure to be quick can be quite a challenge but nothing the department can't handle.

"Sometimes you get a patient who is in a lot of pain," he said. "We have to figure out what's going on and make sure the doctor gets the correct image from us."

He often sees patients with liver, kidney or abdominal problems and provides doctors with a clear picture.

However, even through the busy schedules, it's all worth it when he works with obstetric sonography.

"It never gets old telling a parent whether they are having a boy or girl," he said. "It's just a great part of my job."

Even during training, the radiology department performs double time as they participate in exercises and real-world simultaneously.

"We can get very busy here, but we adapt," Grizzard said. "It's all a part of our job."