Office Services

Allergy Testing is used to help identify the specific allergens that are causing the allergic symptoms by measuring how a person reacts to specific allergens such as food, tree pollen, pet dander, or mold. A "positive" allergy test means that a person has a specific allergic antibody to the substance tested. This often means that the person is allergic to the substance, and therefore may experience symptoms when exposed to the allergen.

Skin Testing (Intradermal Allergy Testing):

Skin Testing is the oldest and most reliable form of allergy testing. Skin testing has been performed for over 100 years and continues to be the test of choice for the diagnosis of allergic disease. A small amount of a suspected allergen (usually a commercially available diluted extract of allergens such as tree pollens, pet dander or mold) is injected into the skin to see if a reaction develops. Skin testing is not painful, and there is generally no bleeding involved. A positive skin test appears as a raised, red itchy bump. A negative test does not result in any skin reaction.

Allergy Shots (Immunotherapy):

The goal of Allergy Shots is to "train" the immune system over time to be better able to tolerate the allergens that trigger the allergy symptoms. The end result is that the patient becomes "immune" to the allergens, so that the patient can tolerate the allergens with fewer or no symptoms.

Testing and Treatment:

Skin Testing is performed first to find out which allergens are causing the allergic symptoms. Treatment begins by receiving shots containing very small doses of the allergens. The dose is slowly increased with each shot to allow the immune system to safely adjust and build immunity to the allergens. The Allergy Shots are given once a week for eight weeks and then once a month for approximately a year. By giving small but increasing amounts of these allergens at regular intervals, tolerance to the allergen increases. Once higher doses of the allergens are administered, the patient will see relief of the allergy symptoms.

One of the best ways to diagnose sinus problems is with a CT (computed tomography) scan, also known as a CAT scan, a noninvasive, painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat various medical conditions. CT scanners create 3 dimensional x-ray images of the sinus anatomy and thus provide physicians with valuable information for an accurate diagnosis.

Dr. Zadeh and his staff understand that time is precious and that suffering from sinus problems can deprive one of valuable time. We are committed to providing the highest quality and most efficient care possible so that patients achieve fast and effective relief.  Therefore, we have the most advanced diagnostic technology available to expedite diagnosis. By using the latest advancements in CT technology, sinus CT scans can now be performed in Dr. Zadeh's office with the Xoran MiniCAT™ scanner, a small, upright CT scanner that creates fast and exceptional quality images of the sinuses.

CT of the sinuses is primarily used to:

• Detect the presence of inflammatory disease, polyps, fluid or thickened sinus membranes.
• Help diagnose sinusitis, nasal septal deviation or turbinate hypertrophy.
• Plan for surgery by defining the anatomy.
• Record the anatomy for image guided surgery.

The quick and comfortable Xoran MiniCAT™ scan:

• The patient sits comfortably upright in the scanner chair.
• With the open and patient-friendly design of the CT scanner, the sense of claustrophobia that many people experience during CT scans taken on full-body CT scanners is eliminated.
• Scans are fast: ranging between 20 to 40 seconds, depending on the protocol selected.

Xoran MiniCAT™ scans are safe and convenient:

• Since the scanner is on-site, no additional appointments are needed for the imaging studies when one is deemed necessary.
• The results of the CT scan are available immediately to the patient and Dr. Zadeh. With instant access to digital 3D images of the sinuses, the disease process is diagnosed faster and therefore no time is lost between the visit and initiation of therapy.
• The radiation dose is much lower than sinus scans taken on full-body CT scanners.
• The Xoran MiniCAT™ not only optimizes image quality, but it also minimizes the radiation dose in accordance with ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). For more information on the radiation dose, please visit http://xorantech.com/contentHTML/miniCAT_effective_dose.php.

Diagnostic endoscopy provides a safe and quick evaluation of the nasal passages and voice box (larynx) using a flexible endoscope, a fiber-optic instrument used for examining the upper airway. The endoscope is slender, only 2.7-4.0 mm in diameter, and is passed easily through the nostril to allow a detailed examination of the nasal cavity, sinuses and the larynx. Dr. Zadeh may look directly through the endoscope or alternatively, a medical video camera can be attached to the endoscope, and the images may be viewed on a special video monitor. The patient may choose to view the images from his or her own examination.

Purpose:

• Nasal endoscopy provides for direct observation of the nasal passages, sinuses, larynx and other surrounding structures.
• Nasal endoscopy is used to help diagnose nasal polyps, nasal blockage, nasal tumors, sinusitis, cause of the hoarse voice, laryngeal tumors and other pathologies of the upper airway.

Preparation:

• The patient sits in a comfortable chair.
• A topical nasal decongestant and numbing medicine may be applied to the lining of the nose by a nasal spray prior to endoscopy. The examination is easily tolerated and often can be completed without any numbing medicines at all.

Test procedure:

• Dr. Zadeh threads the endoscope into each nostril and through the nasal cavity and if necessary to the level of the larynx.
• Dr. Zadeh will examine all the internal structures of the nose, throat and/or larynx.

After the test:

• Once the endoscope is removed, the patient may immediately return to normal activities.

Interpretation:

• Direct observation of the upper airway allows Dr. Zadeh to immediately assess the patient's problem. This immediate assessment allows Dr. Zadeh to discuss the results and courses of therapy with the patient during the same visit, and therapy can be initiated right away.

Cultures are used to identify the organism causing the infection. Cultures are simple, quick and safe.

Cultures are frequently used when infections treated with the appropriate antibiotics have not completely resolved. Cultures are becoming more important with the emergence of bacteria resistant to common antibiotics. Patients have access to our in-house microbiology laboratory overseen by our experienced microbiologist. The cultures obtained allow Dr. Zadeh to determine the source of the patient's infection.

Procedure:

A culture can be obtained by simply swabbing the discharge from the area of infection. This can be done with direct visualization or endoscopically. The procedure is pain-free and takes seconds. Culture results return in about 2-3 days and include the type of bacteria and a list of antibiotics that will effectively treat the infection. All culture specimens are also tested for fungus.

A Thyroid Ultrasound is a simple and safe method to examine the Thyroid Gland. The Ultrasound machine uses high-frequency sound waves, rather than radiation, taken by a hand-held instrument maneuvered over the skin to develop a picture of the Thyroid Gland on a monitor.

A Thyroid Ultrasound is used to identify the presence, size, and location of growths within the Thyroid Gland.  In addition, it allows for easy visualization of difficult to find growths within the gland, making it possible to access for a needle biopsy or to follow with serial monitoring.  Thyroid Ultrasonography is non-invasive, risk-free and painless.  A Thyroid Ultrasound provides the best information about the shape and structure of Thyroid Nodules and may be used to distinguish cysts from solid nodules, and to determine if multiple nodules are present. A Thyroid Ultrasound, however, it is unable to determine if a growth is cancerous, and a Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (please see below) can be used to detect cancer.

Dr. Zadeh is committed to providing the highest quality and most efficient care possible so that his patients achieve fast and effective treatment. Therefore, at his office, he has access to the most advanced diagnostic Ultrasound technology available to expedite diagnosis. Dr. Zadeh performs his own thyroid ultrasounds in the office at the time of the consultation.

Fine Needle Aspiration is a biopsy used to determine whether a growth is cancerous.  The biopsy samples the cells in the area of concern, which are then sent to a pathologist for analysis.

During the procedure, a thin needle is inserted through the skin into the tumor to collect a sample of cells.  Multiple samples from a single tumor are usually taken to ensure an accurate analysis.  Ultrasound technology can be used to visualize difficult-to-find tumors and guide the placement of the needle.

The procedure is carried out in the office by Dr. Zadeh.  The samples of cells are then sent to a pathologist for evaluation.  This diagnosis is based on the characteristics of individual cells and patterns in clusters of cells that are different from normal tissue.

Accurate assessment of hearing (Audiometry) is vital to the evaluation of patients with suspected hearing loss or other otologic diseases.   Audiometry often determines the source of the underlying problem. 

Dizziness frequently occurs due to problems with the balance (semicircular canals or vestibular) portion of the inner ear.  Vestibular testing consists of a number of tests that help determine whether there is something wrong with the balance portion of the inner ear. These tests often help isolate dizziness symptoms to a specific cause that can then be treated.  Videonystagmography testing (VNG) is a non-invasive test used to identify pathology with respect to the vestibular system.

Dr. Zadeh is committed to providing the highest quality and most efficient care possible so that his patients achieve fast and effective treatment. Therefore, at his office, he has access to the most advanced audiologic and vestibular diagnostic technology available to expedite diagnosis. Dr. Zadeh's expert audiologists perform Audiometry and Videonystagmography testing in the office, and the results are available immediately following the test.