Imaging Center in Santa Monica & Beverly Hills, CA

LSG Imaging performs the following exams at both its Beverly Hills and Santa Monica locations:

• Virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography)
• 3D mammography (tomosynthesis), screening and diagnostic
• General CT scanning
• CT coronary calcium scoring
• Low-dose CT lung cancer screening
• General diagnostic ultrasound
• Thyroid ultrasound with needle biopsy
• Breast ultrasound with needle biopsy
• Hernia ultrasound
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound
• Fertility imaging, including hysterosonography and hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
• Bone density (DEXA) scanning with trabecular bone score
• X-ray and fluoroscopy

Every exam listed is available at both locations. No service is limited to a single office.

At LSG Imaging, most patients receive their results the same day, before leaving the office. The delay patients experience elsewhere is structural. At most imaging centers, a technologist acquires the images and a radiologist interprets them later, often at a separate reading facility, which is what produces multi-day waits and call-backs for additional views. At LSG Imaging, the interpreting radiologist is on site, reviews the study during the visit, and discusses preliminary findings with the patient directly. When additional images are needed, they can usually be obtained during the same appointment rather than requiring a second visit. Written reports reach referring physicians within 24 to 48 hours.

Board-certified radiologists perform and interpret every exam at LSG Imaging: Dr. Joseph Lebovic, Dr. Stanford R. Schwimer, and Dr. Ross T. Goldberg. Ultrasound illustrates the difference most clearly. At most imaging centers, a sonographer or technologist acquires ultrasound images and a radiologist reviews them afterward, frequently off site. At LSG Imaging, a radiologist personally performs every ultrasound examination. Patients describe their history and concerns directly to the physician conducting the study, and in most cases receive a verbal summary of preliminary findings before they leave. This has been the practice’s standard approach for more than four decades.

Yes, for certain preventive screening exams. LSG Imaging accepts self-referral for screening mammography, bone density (DEXA) scanning, and virtual colonoscopy, so patients can schedule these directly without a physician’s order. Diagnostic exams ordered to evaluate a specific symptom or clinical question, including most CT and ultrasound studies, do require a referral from a healthcare provider. If you are unsure which category your exam falls into, LSG Imaging’s scheduling staff will confirm the requirement before your appointment at either the Beverly Hills or Santa Monica office.

Yes. LSG Imaging confirms your exact self-pay price before your appointment, so there are no surprises on the day of the exam. Cost varies by exam type, by the body region being examined, and by whether intravenous or oral contrast is required. Because LSG Imaging operates as a self-pay practice for patients who are not on Medicare, pricing is quoted directly rather than negotiated through an insurance carrier. Patients who intend to seek reimbursement receive an itemized superbill after the exam documenting the procedure code, the diagnosis code, and the interpreting radiologist’s credentials. Call either the Beverly Hills or Santa Monica office for a quote before scheduling.

LSG Imaging accepts Medicare for covered procedures. For all other insurance, LSG Imaging operates as a self-pay practice and does not bill carriers directly, so payment is due at the time of service. After the exam, patients receive an itemized superbill listing the procedure code, the diagnosis code, and the radiologist’s credentials, which can be submitted to a private insurer for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement varies by policy, so patients are encouraged to confirm their out-of-network benefits with their carrier before scheduling.

Yes. Virtual colonoscopy, also called CT colonography, evaluates the entire colon for polyps and colorectal cancer using CT imaging, with no sedation, no anesthesia, and no scope inserted through the colon. The scan takes 10 to 15 minutes, and because no sedative is used, patients drive themselves home and return to normal activity immediately afterward. Unsedated traditional colonoscopy is technically possible but is rarely offered in the United States and is uncomfortable for most patients. Approximately 5% of virtual colonoscopy patients are found to have significant polyps and are referred for a therapeutic traditional colonoscopy; the remaining 95% return for routine screening in five years. Bowel preparation is still required and is comparable to the preparation for a traditional colonoscopy. LSG Imaging performs virtual colonoscopy at both Beverly Hills and Santa Monica for average-risk adults aged 45 and older, using CO2 inflation and a disposable catheter, with results reviewed by a board-certified radiologist before the patient leaves.

Five preventive imaging exams are used to identify disease in patients who feel well, and LSG Imaging performs all five at both its Beverly Hills and Santa Monica locations.

• Virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography) screens average-risk adults aged 45 and older for colorectal polyps and cancer. Localized colorectal cancer has a five-year survival rate of 91%, compared with 15% for late-stage disease.
• Low-dose CT lung screening is recommended for adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. It has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality by approximately 20% in high-risk individuals.
• CT coronary calcium scoring measures calcified plaque in the coronary arteries and is used for adults aged 40 and older with cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary artery disease commonly produces no symptoms until a cardiac event occurs.
• Screening mammography is recommended annually beginning at age 40 for average-risk women under current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidance. LSG Imaging was the first center in California to offer FDA-approved wide-angle 3D mammography.
• Bone density (DEXA) scanning identifies low bone mass before a fracture occurs. LSG Imaging’s equipment also measures the trabecular bone score, which assesses internal structural bone quality beyond what standard density measurement alone captures.

Screening mammography, bone density scanning, and virtual colonoscopy do not require a physician referral at LSG Imaging.

PM.

Beverly Hills: 9675 Brighton Way, Suite 240, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Phone (310) 859-8104.

Santa Monica: 2730 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 110, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Phone (310) 394-2761.

Appointments can be scheduled by phone at either office. Both locations serve patients across West Los Angeles, including Brentwood, Century City, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Culver City, Mar Vista, and Marina del Rey. All exams are available at both locations, so patients may choose whichever office is more convenient.