3 6 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
improve visualization in
difficult-to-view areas and
in obese patients. For
example, if you're in the
spine, the radiation beamed
in to image the ribs and
shoulder blades is unneces-
sary for ALARA purposes
and unhelpful for viewing
the area of immediate
importance. Adjusting the
C-arm to focus its energy
just on the spinal elements
delivers the optimal image.
The ability to selectively
enhance fluoroscopic
images is another advance
that's available in some
newer C-arms. This feature is achieved through how the system reads the
imaging data and presents it to the user, not through how it is captured. Being
able to program the system's settings to increase the contrast between items
of different densities in the imaging field creates a sharper view of the bony
elements in the primary area of focus and reduces the prominence of soft tis-
sue. A clearer, easier-to-interpret image decreases the need to take more pic-
tures and expose the patient and team to more radiation. Image enhancement
features can often be operated via a C-arm's touchscreen interface.
Getting the right shot during C-arm imaging can be tricky. Truth be told, many
surgeons would rather control the imaging exposures themselves. In smaller
centers, in fact, they may not have any surgical staffers who can be assigned
solely to handle C-arm operations for them. For those reasons, a pedal system
z READY FOR
ACTION A full-sized
mobile C-arm provides
the power necessary to
image spines, hips and
large fractures.
Garrick
W.
Cason,
MD
