Company Profile
TRA Medical Imaging
Company Overview
TRA Medical Imaging has approximately 50 sub-specialized radiologists divided into body, emergency/call, interventional, mammography, musculoskeletal, neuro-interventional, neuroradiology, nuclear, and pediatrics. A shared work list from a broad base of referrers allows one to read predominantly within one's subspecialty, but also offers the opportunity to maintain skills and pursue interests across other fields of radiology. Three internal night hawk radiologists take all of the overnight call.
Our diversified practice is based in Tacoma WA, 33 miles south of Seattle. We own 6 out patient imaging centers between Olympia and Federal Way (suburb of Seattle), and we are partners in a regional breast imaging center. We provide professional services to 7 hospitals, including two level 2 trauma centers and one children’s hospital, as well as to multiple outpatient imaging providers throughout Washington State.
Company History
Raymond Mac Rae, MD, a pioneering radiologist in Pierce County, founded Tacoma Radiological Associates in 1943 along with fellow radiologists Frank Rigos, MD and John Flynn, MD. In the beginning the three radiologists read (interpreted exam images) for two area hospitals-Tacoma General Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center. By the 1960s, the group was spread thin throughout the community. Although they were gaining radiologists, they were reading at more facilities, including Puget Sound Hospital, Allenmore Medical Center, the Doctor's Hospital, the Medical Arts Building, and other facilities throughout the area. They even read in Aberdeen, Washington and Ketchikan, Alaska.
Since its inception, TRA Medical Imaging has continued its mission to be on the cutting edge of medical technology. In 1973, they were the first to perform ultrasound in the area. Headed up by Dr. Emory Bourdeau, these primitive ultrasound scans were mainly used to detect renal masses and limited obstetrical studies. In the late 1970s, TRA was the first in the area to perform head CTs (body CT would arrive much later). Head CTs were acquired by placing the patient's head in a rubber diaphragm that would fill with water and act as a conductor.
In 1986, TRA introduced the first MRI scanner to the area (Tacoma Magnetic Imaging). More recently, in 1997 they introduced Open MRI (Union Avenue Open MRI) to the community, and in 2001 it was Positron Emission Tomography (PET) at TRA Tacoma. This modality has fundamentally revolutionized the way providers care for their cancer patients. In 2006, TRA pioneered a new area of medical care--NeuroInterventional procedures. These highly specialized physicians offer a full spectrum of treatment for stroke, aneurysm and other neurovascular diseases of the brain and spine.