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Information Regarding Mobile C Arm

By Jerry Thomas


The C arm fluoroscopic X ray device is used in diagnostic imagining and a number of minimally invasive surgeries. Most of the time, they are used in operating rooms (ORs) in a number of procedures where they aid in visualizing. For example, they are used in visualizing orthopedics, neurology procedures, kidney drainage, pain management, cardiac procedure, gastroenterology, percutaneous valve replacements, neuro stimulation and vascular surgery among many others.

In the C-arm market, the players available are few in the United States. Some of the players in this market are GE Healthcare, Siemens, Ziehm Imaging, and Philips. There are two classifications of mobile C arm sizes. These sizes are mini and standard size. The size of mini C-arms is smaller and they are used in sports medicine, podiatric, and orthopedic. Mini C-arms are mostly found in clinics and are used in applications that are lighter.

Outside the United States, there are also several producers of these machines. Examples of companies that lead in the market outside of the United States are Hitachi, Shimadzu, Ziehn, and Philips. Ziehm is a German-based company that is also a market leader in the whole of the European continent. It entered the US market a few years ago and continues to push its way in strongly.

The new versions of these machines are not like the old versions. The new machines have the capability to perform 3-D aids. The software for processing images is incorporated in them so that the quality of the image and system capabilities can be improved. A case where the cardiac and vascular models of the system use advanced processing algorithms, MTS, and motion tolerant subtractions is an example of image quality improvement. Real time subtraction without use of images that are masked is allowed for by this algorithm.

The MTS gives the surgeon the capability of performing complete extremity run-off with one contrast media injection and one imaging run. Some machines are designed with the intention of reducing the dose that patients are exposed to during surgery. Other features that are incorporated into modern models of C-arms include touch-screen interface, digital subtraction angiography, laser aiming guides, and procedure roadmapping. These features allow for easier planning of vascular procedures with shorter fluoroscopy times and minimum amounts of contrast media.

Currently, most C-arms are being designed to utilize image intensifiers. They are also using CCD. CCD is the abbreviation that stands for charge-coupled device. Ziehm introduced the VFD flat-panel detector mobile c-arm that utilized the flat-panel detector technology. In 2009, Philips followed and released Veradius system.

Flat panel detectors have the capability to produce better quality images in comparison to their antecedents according to the merits manufacturers have cited. Furthermore, the space taken up by these machines in the OR is less because of their smaller size. More space for working and moving is left to the operation team because of this. Enough space is also left for other systems.

The third advantage is that flat-panel detectors have a bigger field of view. The geometrical distortions do not affect the field of view. The flat- panel detectors are also not affected by magnetic distortions like other systems do. For this reason, the system is able to be positioned freely anywhere in the OR.




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