Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are difficult to define in the case of X-ray examinations involving fluoroscopy particularly those performed in angiography and interventional radiology due to the large variability between examinations: fluoroscopy duration, number of images, image quality required. In order to tackle this problem a nation-wide dosimetric survey was performed in Switzerland i...

AIM To compare the results of ultrasound and fluoroscopy guided caudal epidural steroid injections in postlaminectomy patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty postlaminectomy patients were randomly divided into two groups, Group I (n=15) received ultrasound-guided and Group II (n=15) received fluoroscopy-guided caudal epidural local anesthetic and steroid injection. Time of block for each patien...

The study showed reductions fluoroscopy time and radiation exposure of up to 90% when compared to conventional (exclusively fluoroscopy-guided) CRT implantations. There were no negative consequences on procedural efficacy and no complications. Background CRT and MediGuideTM Technology CRT is a well established therapy for patients with advanced Heart Failure (HF). The number of implantations is...

A technological platform (MediGuide) has been recently introduced for non-fluoroscopic catheter tracking. In several studies, we have demonstrated that the application of this non-fluoroscopic catheter visualization system (NFCV) reduces fluoroscopy time and dose by 90-95% in a variety of electrophysiology (EP) procedures. This can be of relevance not only to the patients, but also to the nurse...

BACKGROUND Mini C-arm devices have gained popularity in extremity surgery. There is little evidence of the benefits of this technique in the clinical setting of foot and ankle surgery. We used dose area product (DAP) to compare radiation usage between mini C-arm and standard fluoroscopy. METHODS We prospectively reviewed 127 cases requiring intra-operative screening during elective foot and a...

Adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) after colorectal cancer surgery can prevent local recurrence, but has several side effects. Precise injection of drugs into the affected areas is complicated by radiation-induced fibrosis of soft or connective tissue. A 48-year-old woman experienced severe intractable perineal pain, dysuria, urinary urgency, and frequent urination after rectal cancer surgery and ...

Segmentation of fluoroscopy images is useful for fluoroscopy-to-CT image registration. However, it is impossible to assign a unique tissue type to each pixel. Rather each pixel corresponds to an entire path of tissue types encountered along a ray from the X-ray source to the detector plate. Furthermore, there is an inherent many-to-one mapping between paths and pixel values. We address these is...

In this report we present pulmonary vein and posterior box isolation together with the right superior ganglion plexus ablation using Qdot Micro catheter without fluoroscopy. We describe different possibilities of new technology for ablation. The main advantages to potentially increase safety effectiveness are discussed. Specifically, possibility perform high-density mapping lowest available dis...

Transcatheter ablation procedures have been traditionally performed under fluoroscopic guidance. However, x-ray exposure is afflicted by the risk of developing malignancies as well as other deterministic effects of radiation. For this reason, radiation doses in the interventional laboratory should be reduced "As Low As Reasonably Achievable", with respect to the safety of the patients and the m...

Background Trans-septal puncture (TSP) is routinely performed during treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) and other electrophysiology procedures. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was the analysis of a novel needle free technique employed to gain access to the left atrium (LA). Methods The SafeSept Needle Free guidewire was delivered, using no needle, to the interatrial s...