BASS Imaging + Bay Imaging Consultants: Strategic Radiology Partnership

“Strategic partnerships are key to the success of any venture that relies on innovation, timeliness, accuracy, accessibility to advanced technologies, and human connection,” said Tanya Bowens, senior manager of BASS Imaging, a department of BASS Medical Group in Shadelands. “Partnerships are integral to organizations that strive to be of value to a community; that strive to do the most good for the most lives.”

BASS Medical Group and Bay Imaging Consultants have such a partnership — one that has been benefiting East Bay patients and families since 2019, when BASS opened its hi-tech, state-of-the-art BASS Imaging at 2637 Shadelands Drive.

From the outset, Bay Imaging Consultants, serving the East and North bays for more than forty years, was there with the expertise and capacity to be BASS’ go-to team of highly experienced, sub-specialty radiologists with the technology, 24/7 IT capabilities, and infrastructures in place for timely, accurate reporting to serve BASS’ general practitioners, surgeons, technicians, pathologists, and patients.

Physician-owned Bay Imaging Consultants Medical Group, Inc., (BIC), based in Walnut Creek at 2125 Oak Grove Road in Shadelands, is the largest private radiology group in Northern California, and one of the largest multi-specialty radiology practices in the state, with more than 100 board-certified practicing radiologists who serve East Bay hospitals, outpatient clinics, and independent PET and MRI centers.

Patrick Ryan, MD, a board-certified radiologist with sub-specialties in musculoskeletal and breast imaging, joined BIC in 2014 and is a member of its board.

“We’re able to do the quality, round the clock work we do because of our size, which is large enough to allow each of us to strictly focus on our areas of expertise,” said Dr Ryan, who completed medical school, a fellowship, and residency at UCLA. “So I’m able to focus on musculoskeletal and breast imaging, and my colleagues can focus on their sub-specialties such as neuroradiology or nuclear medicine or oncology, for example.

“We have ER radiologists who are the best in their field on our team. Everyone in our group has their niche, and there’s clear value across the board in the ability to focus on our sub-specialties. And by doing so, once we receive images from the technicians with whom we partner, BIC radiologists are able to generate higher quality and more timely reports, better serving our partners and our patients.”

Chances are, if you’ve had an X-ray, CT, MRI, or mammogram anywhere in the East Bay, the images were read and reported by a BIC radiologist. And if you had the diagnostic imaging test performed at BASS, it was Dr. Ryan or a BIC colleague sitting in the seat in front of large display monitors at BASS in Shadelands reading those BASS images.

BIC radiologists in partnership with BASS technologists also perform breast and thyroid biopsies for people at risk and under certain medical circumstances. Breast biopsies are offered under US, MRI, and mammography guidance for breast cancer screening; thyroid biopsies are performed under US guidance for thyroid cancer screening.

In addition to X-ray, ultrasound, mammogram, CT, and MRI machines, diagnostic resources on site at BASS Imaging include a flouroscopy machine and a DEXA scanner, which measures bone density. Located at the BASS Cancer Center, at 575 Lennon Lane, is a PET/CT scanner, which creates detailed 3D images of the inside of the body.

Speaking of hi-tech: BASS’ MRI machine is rated 3T (Tesla) because of its magnetic capacity, superior to traditional 1.5T machines. BASS’ 3T MRI offers a distinctive “in bore” patient experience that includes soothing ambient light and the opportunity to watch videos and listen to music during the scanning procedure to help calm anxious patients. Videos of nature, animals, boat rides, ocean waves, and more are available for viewing — and cartoons are available for the little ones.

Patients, physicians, technicians, and pathologists benefit every day from the BASS/BIC partnership, which combines expertise and resources to serve local and regional communities. The partnership enhances patient care by enabling innovation and the rapid response to advanced imaging diagnostic procedures and technologies — now incorporating AI into reading and reporting — for the health, well-being, and peace of mind of patients and their families.

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