What Is Fluoroscopy and When Is It Used?
Fluoroscopy is like having a live video feed of what’s happening inside your body. It’s an advanced imaging technique that lets doctors see in real-time X-ray images, showing how your body moves and functions.
Unlike standard X-rays, which only capture a still snapshot of dense material such as bone, fluoroscopy provides a real-time view. This makes it incredibly useful for diagnosing conditions and guiding patient treatments.
How Does Fluoroscopy Work?
Here’s the simple version, Fluoroscopy uses an X-ray machine with a special fluoroscope tool. This machine sends continuous X-rays through your body. A detector picks them up and turns them into a moving image on a monitor. Imagine watching a movie starring your internal organs, joints, or blood vessels.
Sometimes, to get a clearer picture, you might need a contrast agent. This could be something you drink, or it might be injected into your body. The reason the contrast dye is used in certain situations is that it helps highlight specific regions inside your body that might be tougher to see under normal conditions, like your stomach, heart, or veins, making them easier to see and importantly easy for your doctors to see.
Don’t let this worry you too much as the contrast dye is not uncommon to use during scans of your body, in fact, CT scans, MRI and X-Rays all make use of contrast dye at times so it’s fairly common as far as scanning goes, especially for scans of smaller areas of the body or areas where a highly detailed scan is necessary such as those tiny blood vessels inside the body as a prime example!
When Is Fluoroscopy Used?
Fluoroscopy has many practical uses in medicine, both for diagnosis and treatment. Here are some common examples include:
1. Angiography
Checking blood vessels for blockages.
2. Cardiac Catheterisation
Diagnosing or treating heart issues.
3. Spinal Injections
Pinpointing the right spot for pain relief.
4. Orthopaedic Work
Fluoroscopy is a go-to tool for bone and joint issues. It can check how your joints move, guide the repair of fractures, or assist in placing screws or prosthetics during surgery.
5. Digestive System Tests
This technique is often used to take a look at how your digestive system is functioning.
6. Fertility and Reproductive Health
Fluoroscopy can help identify issues related to fertility, such as Hysterosalpingography (HSG): And checking for blockages in the fallopian tubes or abnormalities in the uterus.
7. Urinary Tract Tests
It’s used to find kidney stones, blockages, or other issues in your urinary system. For instance: Voiding Cystourethrography (VCUG) evaluates how your bladder works and spots urinary reflux.
Helping with Procedures
During surgeries or minimally invasive treatments, fluoroscopy acts as a guide. It helps doctors place tools, like catheters or stents, exactly where they need to go.
What Are the Benefits?
Fluoroscopy offers several benefits to patients and medical professionals including:
- Real-Time Images: Doctors can see what’s happening as it happens.
- Precision: It allows for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- Less Invasive: Procedures guided by fluoroscopy often involve smaller incisions and quicker recovery times.
Are There Any Risks?
While fluoroscopy is safe for most people, it does involve radiation exposure. Thanks to modern technology, radiation levels are much lower than they used to be. To reduce risks:
- Doctors keep imaging time as short as possible.
- Protective gear, like lead aprons, is used for both patients and staff.
- Your healthcare provider will ensure the benefits outweigh any risks, especially if you’re pregnant or have other health concerns.
How to Prepare for Fluoroscopy
Preparation depends on the type of procedure. Here are some general tips:
Fasting: You might need to avoid food and drinks for a few hours beforehand, especially for digestive tests.
Medication Adjustments: Your doctor may ask you to stop certain medications temporarily, though your doctor will inform you if this is necessary in your specific case.
Comfortable Clothing: You’ll likely need to wear a hospital gown and remove jewellery or metal objects from your person before the procedure. After the procedure, most people can go back to their regular activities unless instructed otherwise by their doctor.
A Real-Time Imaging Breakthrough
Fluoroscopy is an amazing tool in modern medicine, offering real-time imaging to your doctors which allows them to make more accurate diagnoses decisions and provide the right targeted treatments.
While it does come with some risks, like any medical procedure involving radiation, these are generally well minimised with modern technology and safety protocols being in place to safeguard the patient.