How are you breathing?

Most people feel out of breath at some point. Usually they blame it on being out of shape, temporary illness or aging. But for people who struggle to breathe often, it could be a sign of a larger problem.

Gundersen Boscobel's Respiratory team can help diagnose and treat a range of lung and breathing conditions.

Your primary care provider may refer you for a respiratory evaluation to:

• Compare lung function with standards to determine how your lungs are performing
• Determine the cause of shortness of breath and chronic cough
• Measure the effects of exposure to chemicals, dust and other toxins on lung function
• Diagnose lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, COPD and lung cancer
• Measure the effectiveness of medicines and other lung treatments

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) measure how well your lungs take in and exhale air and how efficiently they transfer oxygen into the blood. PFTs - are painless. Patients will breathe in and out of a tube using varying breathing techniques.  The measurements may be repeated 2 or more times to ensure accuracy; with time to rest between the different breathing measurements.

To learn more or see if a pulmonary function test is right for you, contact Gundersen Boscobel Respiratory Therapy at (608) 375-6316.

Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics honors our dedicated radiologic technologists during National Radiologic Technology Week Nov. 3-9. They are celebrated each year during the week of Nov. 8 to honor the day German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered the X-ray in 1895.

"Our medical imaging professionals work with some of the most innovative equipment in the medical field to assist in identifying patient injuries and pathologies, allowing physicians and other providers to plan and administer treatment to restore patient health," said Gundersen Boscobel Hospital Director of Ancillary Services Judy Dayton. 

In January 2020, Gundersen Boscobel enhances our services with the availability of 3D mammography. Standard digital mammography provides radiologists with 2D images of the breast, where overlapping layers of tissue can create unclear results or false alarms.

3D mammography aims to decrease the effect of overlapping breast tissue by taking several X-ray images of each breast to create a more accurate 3D picture. With 3D mammography, radiologists can evaluate breast tissue layer by layer making fine details more visible.

"We are proud to offer an array of imaging options, close to home to best support patient needs," Dayton says. "Our addition of 3D mammography is another way in which we're working to best serve our patients."

Providing patients with safe medical imaging examinations is the primary goal for our radiologic technologists. They specialize in breast imaging, computed tomography, cardiac-interventional procedures, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, radiation therapy and general diagnostic radiography.

At Gundersen Boscobel, we're proud to provide the following diagnostic services:

• Mammography 
• Bone density testing
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Echocardiography
• MRI
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiography
• Ultrasound

 To learn more about diagnostic options available at Gundersen Boscobel by calling (608) 375-6321.