What’s the Difference Between an X-Ray and Fluoroscopy?

Dic 6, 2019

When you have an injury that needs treatment, it is essential that you obtain the appropriate images to confirm and understand your diagnosis. Only then can your pain be addressed and your body healed.

A local imaging center is where you can obtain x-rays and fluoroscopy imaging to help with your treatment. Keep reading to learn the difference between the two.

What Is an X-Ray?

skull at local imaging center at aica orthopedics X-ray technology is a useful tool in diagnosing and examining various types of conditions and injuries in the body when they aren’t necessarily apparent or visible upon the physical examination of a doctor. X-rays utilize electromagnetic radiation in order to generate images of the inside of the body for the benefit of treatment.

Orthopedic doctors, radiologists, and other medical professionals use them to visualize injuries, monitor the progression of illnesses, track the success of a particular course of treatment, and various other functions.

They are generally considered to be safe for most individuals to undergo, the exception being if the small radiation risk that exists with x-rays somehow outweighs the benefit of the information it will provide. In these cases, a responsible medical professional will make an alternate recommendation, but this is incredibly uncommon.

What Is Fluoroscopy?

Fluoroscopy is an innovative technology that offers many similar benefits in reference to imaging as x-rays do. It uses the same technology as an x-ray in order to generate a working image for a doctor to interpret in the process of caring for a patient.

However, it does so in a video capacity, which can open up many other opportunities for its usefulness. The fluoroscope allows the observer to visualize the interior of the body as it moves and functions.

 

Doctors find this to be helpful when performing procedures such as:

  • The insertion of catheters in various blood vessels – these procedures are difficult to perform without the ability to see where the needle is moving. Fluoroscopy assists in proper and accurate placement of a catheter.
  • The insertion of devices into blood vessels – these devices are called stents and they help to allow blood to flow more freely when a blood vessel has become narrowed or in some way obstructed.
  • Performing Angiograms – this procedure allows the doctor to see what is going on, or more appropriately going wrong inside of the body’s blood vessels.
  • Enemas or x-rays for gastrointestinal purposes – these exams are called barium x-rays and they assist doctors in visualizing the GI tract to diagnose issues.
  • During Orthopedic Surgical procedures – when an orthopedic surgeon needs to replace a joint or mend a fracture, they will often do so with the help of the fluoroscope.

How Are X-Ray and Fluoroscopy Different?

X-ray and fluoroscopy technology are essentially the same, with a few notable differences. They both are powered by electromagnetic radiation for the purpose of obtaining necessary images.

  1. X-rays are static images. They provide images of the inside of the body in still form. Fluoroscopy imaging provides a live “video” format image, which will show movement in the body or of an instrument. The different things these imaging technologies can accomplish relate mostly to this difference.
  2. X-rays carry a smaller risk of radiation-related risks than fluoroscopy does. This is just simple math since a fluoroscope must be trained on a part of the body over a period of time in order to accomplish the function it is necessary for. Sometimes this is a brief moment in which a small action can be performed. In other cases, it can mean that the exposure to radiation the patient maintains goes on for the length of a surgery.

How Will I Know Which Imaging Scan Is Right for Me?

Your doctor will make a recommendation based upon the needs of your particular case. If you have any concerns about the risks associated with the process of obtaining the images themselves, or with the logistics surrounding using these technologies, consult with your doctor. They should be well prepared to assuage any difficulties you might be having with x-rays or fluoroscopy.

At AICA Orthopedics, we regularly find the need to utilize both x-ray and fluoroscopy technology to best diagnose and treat our patients. Contact a member of our team today if you have any questions or are in need of diagnostic imaging to treat your ailment.

SHARE:

Search

Contact Us

  • * Al enviar el formulario, das tu consentimiento para que AICA Ortopedia se ponga en contacto contigo a través de mensajes de texto, llamadas telefónicas y correo electrónico en la información de contacto proporcionada.

  • Este campo es un campo de validación y debe quedar sin cambios.

Categories

Visite una de nuestras 17 ubicaciones en Metro Atlanta

Winder

Calle Lee, 16 Winder, GA 30680

McDonough

259 Jonesboro Rd McDonough, GA 30253

Lawrenceville

217 Scenic Hwy S, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Montaña de Piedra

1000 Main Street, Ste C Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Macon

626 1st St Macon, GA 31201

Newnan

2700 Autopista 34 Este Newnan, GA 30265

Duluth

3775 Venture Drive, Edificio F Duluth, GA 30096

Chamblee Tucker

3166 Chestnut Drive Connector, Suite 100, 200 Atlanta, GA 30340

College Park

Avenida Virginia 1624 College Park, GA 30337

Conyers

2375 Wall Street Southeast #135 Conyers, GA 30013

Jonesboro

Carretera Mount Zion 750 Jonesboro, GA 30236

Kennesaw

3825 Cherokee Street Northwest Kennesaw, GA 30144

Lithia Springs

530 Thornton Road Lithia Springs, GA 30122

Marietta

1965 North Park Place Southeast, Suite 200 Marietta, GA 30339

Snellville

2346 Wisteria Drive, Suite 110 Snellville, GA 30078

Stockbridge

260 Corporate Center Drive, Suite E Stockbridge, GA 30281

Buckhead

2045 Peachtree Road Northwest, Suite 700 Atlanta, GA 30309