Fluoroscopy Exam
A Fluoroscopy exam is another type of innovative imaging that we utilize at AICA Orthopedics. It is similar to a digital X-Ray, but it shows a continuous picture and can capture movement, almost like an X-Ray movie. It gives a real-time view of the body to help doctors diagnose problems and perform medical procedures with the utmost precision and safety. A fluoroscopy exam can be used on just about any part of the body, including bones, joints, muscles, and organs. Fluoroscopy may be used in conjunction with other imaging technology, such as regular static X-Rays, CT scans, and MRIs, or it may be used alone. If you’re having health issues that need a motion X-Ray to diagnose, or if you need a procedure that requires the physician to see inside your body during it, a fluoroscopy exam may be the solution you need. Our specialists and highly qualified doctors at AICA Orthopedics are experts at utilizing fluoroscopy to maximize your health and healing.
Fluoroscopy Exams for Diagnostics
Orthopedic doctors and chiropractors often use fluoroscopy in diagnostic processes. If an individual has significant pain when they move or make a particular motion, a fluoroscopy procedure can help doctors determine the cause of the pain. Oftentimes, it may be a misalignment of the spine or an unnatural shift of a joint that causes pain, and doctors can see this during continuous X-Ray imaging. Fluoroscopy can also diagnose other problems with the joints, bones, or muscles. Doctors can perform barium X-Rays with fluoroscopy to diagnose problems within the GI tract, and fluoroscopy can be used to help doctors identify the best placement for cardiac catheterization.
Fluoroscopy Exams for Medical Procedures
Due to the real-time imaging of fluoroscopy, it is a useful tool for a variety of medical procedures. When doctors must perform precise movements and work in a very small area, fluoroscopy can help ensure they are being as precise and safe as possible. It is often used in the placement of catheters, both intravenously and in the heart, to guide doctors in putting the catheter into the exact place that it is needed. For injections in the spinal cord, fluoroscopy is also an invaluable procedure that allows doctors to ensure the needle is being inserted into the correct spot. It eliminates many risks and possible negative results sometimes associated with spinal injections. A fluoroscopy exam can also assist with angiograms, orthopedic surgeries, placement of stents, locating foreign bodies, and treatment of compression fractures of the spine.
Fluoroscopy Exams For Different Specialties
At AICA Orthopedics, different types of injuries or pain require the services of different types of orthopedic specialists such as neurologists, spine specialists, or even chiropractors. Each specialty has a different purpose for fluoroscopy testing that helps each specialist pinpoint the problem areas in the body.
Neurologists
Neurologists at AICA Orthopedics use fluoroscopy in conjunction with other testing to get a more accurate picture than a simple X-ray can provide. For example, an angiogram detects the narrowing of blood vessels within the brain, head, or neck. Arteries cannot be seen in a normal X-ray, so dye is injected into the arteries and a catheter is threaded through. This procedure is monitored by fluoroscopy and the images are projected on a monitor.
LEARN MOREInterventional Spine Specialists
Fluoroscopy is extremely beneficial for spinal care. It can be an important guiding tool for minimally invasive procedures or surgeries as the use of X-ray to produce real-time images projected on the monitor can help spine specialists guide needles through certain parts of the spine without damaging any part of the spine. Fluoroscopy can also be used for spinal injections such as steroid injections for pain or reducing inflammation or for inserting numbing medication for a spinal procedure. Other types of fluoroscopy-guided procedures include epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks for addressing nerve pain, or facet injections into the joints of the spine.
LEARN MOREChiropractors
Fluoroscopy imaging can also assist chiropractors in that it allows them to see the movement of the bones and joints in real-time as the X-ray images are displayed. They can then use these images to locate joints or vertebrae that are out of alignment or even look at areas of pain that could be caused by pinched or compressed nerves. It offers hope to people suffering from chronic neck or back pain because chiropractors are able to see exactly how each joint and vertebrae move together as you are moving to pinpoint areas of concern. After using fluoroscopy images, chiropractors can adjust vertebrae or joints as needed to address pain and bring about relief.
LEARN MORECauses for Fluoroscopy Exams
Fluoroscopy exams that might include the use of fluoroscopy include a lumbar puncture, barium swallow or enema, radiology procedures, myelogram, small bowel or upper gastrointestinal series, or neuroradiology procedures. Specifically, this type of imaging can be used to locate artery blockages, locate foreign bodies, injections into the joint or spine, treating compression fractures of the spine, or observing movement of the intestines. If you need to undergo fluoroscopy treatment, you can rest assured that you are in capable hands at AICA Orthopedics. Our specialists work with you to diagnose and treat pain so you can get back to living your best life.
Experienced and Well-Equipped Doctors at AICA Orthopedics
Our specialists are some of the best available, and when they have access to state-of-the-art imaging equipment, they become even more effective. Fluoroscopy exams allows our doctors to more thoroughly and more effectively diagnose and treat a number of health concerns so that they can bring about the most amount of healing for you. Our healthcare specialists are focused on your optimal health and always strive to provide the best comprehensive care in Atlanta. If you want to learn more about fluoroscopy or if you need to schedule an appointment with our amazing doctors, give us a call today.
