Low Dose Radiological Imaging

Using Low-Dose Imaging (X-ray) to Improve Patient Care and Treatment

At the Southwest Scoliosis and Spine Institute, we believe in providing our patients with great treatment and care. For example, we offer in-house Dose Imaging services using the EOS system at our Dallas location.

The new imaging system refers to a state-of-the-art 2D/3D X-ray imaging system. This system allows our doctors to take high-quality images of patients in a variety of positions.

The EOS Imaging system uses two X-ray beams to scan patients and create two high-quality images. These two full-body images can then help create a 3D model. With this model, our doctors will gain a better understanding of a patient’s medical condition and its complexity. This also allows our doctors to make an accurate diagnosis, as well as to tailor treatment plans for each patient.

EOS Imaging is particularly useful in the diagnosis and treatment of various conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. It can simultaneously capture full-body, frontal, and lateral images, making it a versatile tool for evaluating a wide range of issues, including:

• Balance and posture complications
• Degenerative disc disease
• Hip dysplasia in both adults and children
• Kyphosis in both adults and children
• Limb length discrepancy
• Osteoarthritis impacting the hip and knee
• Scoliosis in both adults and children
• Bowleg and knock knee conditions
• Clubfoot and flatfoot
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease
• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE)
• Patellar instability and patellofemoral pain

By identifying these specific conditions, the EOS Imaging system enhances our ability to address each patient’s unique needs, ensuring a more targeted and effective treatment approach.

Why Choose EOS Los Dose Imaging?

Many patients and parents are understandably concerned about the level of radiation exposure from traditional imaging methods like X-rays and CT scans. The EOS system stands out because it significantly reduces this risk, using 50% to 85% less radiation than standard digital X-ray systems and 95% less than CT scans, according to the manufacturer. This makes it a safer option, particularly for children and adults who need frequent imaging.

Benefits of EOS Low Dose Imaging

• Quickly Available – The ability to quickly produce high-quality, full-body digital X-ray images provides a great advantage. A single scan that takes 10-25 seconds provides the doctor with everything he needs.
• Quicker exam time – To achieve similar results with regular X-ray imaging, multiple exposures, and image processing (such as stitching together of images) need to take place. This results in much longer exam times and higher doses of radiation per patient.
• Low-Dose Radiation – As mentioned, the EOS system delivers significantly lower doses of radiation, providing a safer imaging alternative.
• Natural posture can get imaged – Because the EOS system can take X-rays of patients in a sitting or standing position, our doctors can get a good idea of a patient’s natural posture along with joint orientation without the need for certain poses or having the patient lie down.

By addressing both safety concerns and providing advanced imaging capabilities, the EOS system represents a forward-thinking approach to patient care. Whether for young children, teenagers, or adults, this innovative technology offers peace of mind alongside precise diagnostics.

In-house Imaging Means you get Immediate Diagnostic Care.

Southwest Scoliosis and Spine Institute’s advanced in-house X-ray system allows doctors to rapidly scan, diagnose, and begin treating our patients. It also means that you don’t need to travel to an offsite imaging facility.

After checking in at our office, a technician will escort you to the exam room.  Then you will sit or stand in the scanning booth for up to 25 seconds while the X-ray gets taken. The doctor can then quickly review the images from the exam.  The doctor will then discuss your results with you to determine the next steps.

Low Dose Radiation Benefits for Adults and Children

Based on other 2D imaging, our system delivers 50 to 85 percent less radiation than most X-ray systems. For a full-body 3D scan, EOS uses 800–1000 times less radiation than a similar CT scan.

Reducing the dose of radiation provides better health care for pediatric patients.  Especially those with a spine condition like scoliosis, which requires frequent X-rays to monitor.  Because growing children become more sensitive to the effects of radiation, getting low-dose X-rays is a big win.  Because scoliosis and other spine disorders appear as three-dimensional conditions, doctors can examine images in 3-D as well.

For this reason, our system can reduce radiation exposure to even lower levels thanks to a setting called MicroDose. When the system operates on the MicroDose setting, it emits even less radiation than a standard exam.  That equates to about 6 hours of natural background radiation and still produces high-quality 3D images.

High-Quality Images in Multiple Positions in Seconds

With traditional X-ray imaging, patients often lie down or hold weird poses to get the best image. With our system, patients can get scanned while standing or in a seated position.

When needed, 3D images of the patient can be captured in an upright, weight-bearing position. This allows the doctor to better examine the natural posture.  Also, it allows the doctors to see how the spine, hips, and lower limbs interact with each other.

Do EOS X-rays Cost More Than Traditional X-rays?

When comparing EOS X-rays to traditional X-rays, the cost of 2D EOS images is generally the same. In terms of billing, both are handled similarly, ensuring no additional expense for the basic 2D images compared to standard X-rays.

Key Differences in Cost:

• 2D EOS Images: Priced equivalently to traditional X-rays.
• 3D EOS Images: These come with a small extra charge beyond the 2D scan.

Important to note, that the cost coverage for 3D images can vary significantly depending on your insurance provider. It’s advisable to check with your insurer to understand if the additional costs of 3D EOS images will be covered.

Clear, Accurate Low Dose Imaging for Better Diagnoses and Surgical Outcomes

In addition to reduced radiation and rapid scanning, the system allows doctors to get a more complete picture of a patient’s condition to provide a precise diagnosis and to gather detailed data should surgery become needed.

“Finally, the 3D models will assist our surgeons by helping them plan, and in some cases, even simulate a surgical procedure.”

Incorporating advanced imaging technology, surgeons can now visualize patient anatomy with unprecedented accuracy. The imaging system captures 1:1 functional 2D/3D images in under 20 seconds, providing a foundation for precise presurgical planning and postsurgical assessment.

Key Benefits for Surgical Procedures:

• Accurate Visualization: The technology records and displays anatomical structures in their true size, volume, lengths, and angles, offering a detailed map for surgical intervention.
• 3D Modeling: Surgeons can generate 3D images of the spine or joints, viewing them in both current and optimal corrected states. This allows for real-time modifications in spinal correction and implant positioning.
• Surgical Simulation: By exporting data to rod benders or 3D printers, the imaging system facilitates surgical simulations, enhancing strategic planning.
• Enhanced Strategy: Immediate understanding of 3D frontal and sagittal alignment helps in calculating post-operative parameters, ensuring a comprehensive surgical strategy.

These advancements not only support well-informed diagnoses but also pave the way for improved surgical outcomes, making them an invaluable tool in modern orthopedic surgery.

Our goal at the Southwest Scoliosis and Spine Institute with offices in Dallas, Plano, and Frisco, Texas is to use science to improve outcomes and recovery times.  Call us today for an appointment.

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EOS Imaging: X-rays