Preston Hedayati, MD is a physician in Wickenburg Community Hospital’s (WCH) Radiology department, providing the diagnostic radiology conditions for the medical images performed at WCH. This includes procedures (exams/tests) such as X-rays, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound.
Dr. Hedayati attended college at the University of Arizona, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and completed his medical education. After deciding to specialize in radiology he enjoyed four years at Saint Joseph Hospital in Phoenix Arizona, where he completed his internship and radiology residency. Dr. Hedayati then went on to complete his first fellowship in musculoskeletal radiology at Harvard in Boston, Massachusetts then came back to Arizona and concluded with a neuroradiology fellowship, at Barrow Neurological Institute.
“What I liked about radiology is there’s a lot of technology involved and I was always intrigued by how you could see into the body with that equipment. It really sparked my interest,” explains Dr. Hedayati. “I also saw that there’s a huge procedural aspect of radiologists. Realizing a radiologist could not only participate in the diagnostic aspect but also the procedural aspect of the brain was particularly interesting. I thought it was a good mixture and this field provides a lot of flexibility.”
Dr. Hedayati’s favorite part about working in the field is that “As any doctor, helping humanity is probably the most important thing with radiology. It’s great because I think all the interesting cases around the hospital end up in radiology and a lot of them are kind of a puzzle.” Dr. Hedayati continues by describing, “It’s easier to diagnose pneumonia or a fracture but there are a lot of patients who come in with symptoms that clinicians cannot figure out what’s going on. With imaging, there are a couple of signs and things that you see in radiology that could really make a specific diagnosis. So, we’re able to lead the clinicians toward that diagnosis. A lot of people say a radiologist is a doctor’s doctor, so we help inform them on making certain diagnoses.”
Dr. Hedayati concludes by describing his favorite part of working in a rural community, “Rural communities, I’ve got to tell you, it’s the patient population, I think, that is the most important thing. The people are just so down to earth, and you could just have good conversations with them and they really appreciate the work you do. I kind of have a very soft side for patients in rural communities because they just want good help in their area and they’re very easy to talk to.”
WCH provides diagnostic imaging services where the patient, family and community come first. To schedule your imaging services, please call 928-668-1803.
