Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound

08/12/2026

Can MRI show the blood vessels in my head?
All imaging modalities are able to assess your blood vessels, but both MRI and Ultrasound are the only ones that do not use any radiation to do so. Ultrasound is a fast, easy exam that can look at most of your blood vessels. It is particularly good at examining the blood vessels in your legs and arms, typically looking for clots, or examining the vessels in your neck, such as the carotid arteries looking for narrowing caused by a build up of calcium or cholesterol. Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is also used to show the health of your blood vessels. This is particularly useful if you have a history of arteriosclerosis (a narrowing of your arteries) or a family history of aneurysms. While Ultrasound can look at many of your arteries, it cannot assess those within your brain. CT Scan can only visualize the arteries, but uses radiation and cannot see the veins at the same time as the arteries. MRA can show both the arteries and veins and does not use any harmful radiation. The video here demonstrates an AVM, which is an abnormal network of vessels connecting the arteries to the veins.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound provides expedited imaging with no wait times. We are conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC and service the entire Peace region. Contact us at 250-784-0040 or visit our website: http://www.peacemri.com for more information including fees, location and services we offer.

07/11/2026

Can MRI be used to image the digestive system?
Imaging the digestive system with MRI is known as Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) and is a very specialized type of MRI. In order to see the small bowel and record its movement, we would have you drink some water or juice prior to the exam. By doing so we can assess the function of the small intestines as well as pinpoint any areas that are not moving as they should. This type of exam is very useful for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, scarring or adhesions, blockages or twisted bowel or in the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. Intravenous contrast is also used to highlight areas of inflammation. Not all MRI facilities offer this type of exam as it requires specialized resources and experienced staff. If your physician recommends you have this test, please contact us for further information or booking.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and offers MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. For further information, including fees, location, contact details and booking information, please visit our web site: http://www.peacemri.com/

06/23/2026

I have metal in my body – can I have an MRI?
In most cases the answer is yes, you can have an MRI even if you have metal in your body. But there are some limitations. It is important for us to know what metal you have, or even think you might have, in order to ensure your safety during an MRI.
Most orthopedic metal implants are completely safe to scan. These include joint replacements, dental implants or metal plates and screws. I have a metal plate in my arm and have had many MRIs and never noticed anything when in the magnet. We just need to know where it is so that we may alter our scanning protocol to minimize the impact it will have on your images.
Mechanical implants such as pacemakers, deep brain stimulators, insulin pumps, cochlear implants or pain control devices are possible to be scanned, however they may require very specific procedures to be followed. Even those classified by the manufacturer as “MRI Safe” may require very specific protocols including the presence of medical specialists, such as cardiologists, during the scan to monitor these devices. Typically, these must be done in a specialized hospital.
Some metal objects may pose a risk to you or the device if you even enter the MRI room with them in your body. These include older models of cerebral aneurysm clips, hearing aids, and metal fragments in your eyes. The magnet may move these objects and cause injury to you. We ask everyone to provide information on what your medical or occupational history is to make sure it is safe for you to enter the MRI environment.
If you, or your doctor is unsure if you can have an MRI because of metal in your body, please feel free to contact us and we can advise. We have many resources and extensive experience scanning patients with metal implants and are able to research any implant to determine what must be done to scan it safely.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound provides expedited imaging with no wait times. We are conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC and service the entire Peace region. Contact us at 250-784-0040 or visit our website: http://www.peacemri.com for more information including fees, location and services we offer.

05/24/2026

Sore shoulder? We can help!
Both MRI and Ultrasound are very effective at imaging the shoulder to determine why you may be having pain or limited mobility. The cause could be tendinitis, frozen shoulder or muscle strain that can be treated with physio or other non-invasive ways or the cause may be more serious requiring surgery.
One of the most common exams we perform is an MRI of the Shoulder. MRI is a very effective way of visualizing various injuries that occur in the shoulder. Here we have an example of a patient who had a shoulder MRI exam showing intact tendons of the rotator cuff (red arrow), but was re-imaged after an injury where one tendon was completely torn. The tear is seen as the white area between the two yellow arrows, with the tendon (red arrow) moving away from the bone and towards the muscle. This type of rotator cuff tear needs surgical repair. If the patient waits too long between the injury and the surgery, allowing the tendon to retract further and the muscle to atrophy, the surgery becomes much more difficult and less likely to result in complete recovery. There may also be the possibility that the patient is no longer able to have the surgery as the repair becomes impossible. Waiting for months to obtain imaging and then another wait to obtain surgery is not in anyone’s best interests!
In many cases an Ultrasound of the shoulder can identify similar injuries. This is less expensive and faster than an MRI, so it is worthwhile asking your physician which is the better option in your particular circumstance.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound provides expedited imaging with no wait times. We are conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC and service the entire Peace region. Contact us at 250-784-0040 or visit our website: http://www.peacemri.com for more information including fees, location and services we offer.

05/05/2026

Do you have neck or low back pain, or pain that shoots down your arms or legs? Then we have your back!
MRI is the preferred method to see spinal injuries such as protruding discs, scar tissue from previous surgeries, fractures, arthritis, inflammation and congenital abnormalities. All of these can cause pain, either in your back/neck or down your legs or arms, resulting in decreased mobility or function. Your daily life can be severely impacted while you wait for treatment or diagnosis.
There are also many conditions affecting the spine that can only be seen on MRI. These include MS, tumors of the spine or cord, strokes of the spinal cord (cord infarcts), bruises within the spinal cord (cord contusions), and fluid within the spinal cord (Syringomyelia). Neurologists and neurosurgeons rely on MRI to determine the best possible treatment for all of these conditions. In many cases the treatment of conditions affecting the spinal cord should be performed as quickly as possible, since delaying treatment could result in permanent disablement or loss of function. Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound has the equipment and expertise to provide accurate and thorough imaging of all areas of the spine.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and offers MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. For further information, including fees, location, contact details and booking information, please visit our web site: http://www.peacemri.com/

04/14/2026

Quality MRI Matters!
Experience matters! Having experienced technologists and radiologists will affect the image quality, interpretation, patient safety and risk management of your MRI exam:
1. MRI environments carry unique risks such as strong magnetic fields, patient implants, contrast agents and the challenges associated with the claustrophobic setting. An experienced technologist helps patients get the best outcome of their scan to be able to provide a diagnosis and facilitate their recovery.
2. Experience translates directly into better image quality. Image quality is paramount here at Peace Regional MRI & Ultrasound and we have been able to help patients who then travel around the world for treatment following their MRI at our facility.
3. Our staff are well-equipped to handle complex cases. Not all facilities offer all MRI exams. Patients can have confidence in having their exams done at our facility, as we have experienced technologists and are uniquely able to provide complex exams such as Cardiac MRI Imaging.
4. Who is reading your exam? Our Radiologists are specialized and are well known world-wide for their expertise. The group of Radiologists that read for Peace Regional MRI & Ultrasound are based out of St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver and are faculty members of the UBC Department of Medicine.
Bottom line...our experience and expertise matters in providing the highest quality images and best possible exam. Choosing Peace Regional MRI & Ultrasound to perform your diagnostic needs will reduce risk, improve diagnostic quality, and provide advanced imaging services.
Who benefits? You, the patient.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and offers MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. For further information, including fees, location, contact details and booking information, please visit our web site: http://www.peacemri.com/

02/19/2026

MRI is very sensitive to the changes that occur in the brain due to previous head injuries. In fact, it is the only way to visualize these changes. A CT scan usually does not show the long term damage that a head injury can do to the brain, while a specialized MRI can show this. In the pictures here, the top row is a standard MRI scan that does not show any damage from a previous head injury, while the bottom row is the specialized type of imaging we do routinely for all MRIs of the head. These clearly demonstrate areas where damage has occurred due to a past head injury (yellow arrows). Due to the high sensitivity to these types of changes, MRI has been used in a huge study of NFL players to quantify the long-term effects of concussive forces on their heads during football games.
If you have a previous head injury and are still experiencing difficulties with mood changes, cognition, attention span, balance, head aches or sleep disorders consult with your physician to determine if an MRI might be useful in your situation.
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and offers MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. For further information, including fees, location, contact details and booking information, please visit our web site: http://www.peacemri.com/

10/20/2025

Soon the campaign to raise awareness regarding men’s health, including prostate disease, will start. To support this, we are highlighting the role MRI plays in examining the prostate gland. MRI of the prostate is a very accurate test and is capable of differentiating between normally enlarged prostate due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer. This is important for guiding treatment or further diagnostic testing and monitoring. If caught early, the survival rate from Prostate Cancer that has not spread is nearly 100%, however if not diagnosed early allowing it to spread the rate drops to as low as 31%. Prompt imaging and treatment is critical. If you have signs of prostate problems, including pain or burning when urinating, frequent urination, difficulty starting or stopping urination, sudden dysfunction or passing of blood, please consult with your doctor right away. As there are many similarities in symptoms between benign prostate enlargement and cancer, your doctor may send you for further testing, including blood tests (PSA), Ultrasound or MRI. An MRI of the prostate is an easy, comfortable and painless procedure, and does not involve inserting probes anywhere! Please visit our website for further information on booking a prostate MRI at: http://www.peacemri.com/ , by email at: [email protected] or call us at 250-784-0040. We can perform an MRI of the prostate within a couple of days of receiving the requisition from your doctor.
The image here shows a patient with Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. The enlarged prostate gland surrounds the urethra and puts pressure on it and the bladder. This causes the bladder to not be able to fully empty and requires more effort to pass urine. Since the bladder does not empty completely, there is a need to urinate more often. Using special MRI techniques and an injection (in your arm) of dye, we are able to pinpoint any areas within an enlarged prostate that may be suspicious for cancer. We assess all structures of the pelvis during a prostate MRI and can also discover incidental conditions such as the inguinal hernia found here.
For further information on the “Movember” campaign and to support it, please visit: https://ca.movember.com
For information on Prostate disease: https://www.cancer.org or https://www.cancer.ca/
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC and provides expedited MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. Please see our web page for more information including fees, location and types of exams we provide. http://www.peacemri.com/

08/18/2025

MRI is exceptional at delivering high quality examinations of the joints. Two of the areas we image frequently are the shoulder and knee. Ligament and cartilage tears are the most common injuries of these joints, and luckily, they can be treated with excellent outcomes if caught early. Here are a couple of examples of these types of injuries visualized on MRI.
Ultrasound is also used for examining the joints, particularly the shoulder, and may be indicated depending on the specific pathology your doctor is suspecting. Ultrasound is faster and easier than MRI and can be preferred in some circumstances.
While knees and shoulders are the most common joints that are injured, we also are able to image the elbow, wrist, ankle and hip – and even fingers and toes!
Peace Regional MRI and Ultrasound is conveniently located in downtown Dawson Creek, BC, and offers MRI and Ultrasound exams with no wait times. For further information, including fees, location, contact details and booking information, please visit our web site: http://www.peacemri.com/

05/20/2025