RT Book, Section A1 Patel, Vikram B. A2 Diwan, Sudhir A2 Staats, Peter S. SR Print(0) ID 1107195839 T1 Radiation Safety T2 Atlas of Pain Medicine Procedures YR 2015 FD 2015 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071738767 LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1107195839 RD 2024/03/28 AB Fluoroscopy has been a very effective tool in interventional pain management procedures. Not only does the x-ray image help one identify the proper target for the needle placement but also helps to determine the proper spread of the injectate as well as identify inadvertent intravascular placement of a needle and thus the injectate. Portable fluoroscopy units (also called the C-arm) have helped improve the effectiveness as well as safety of interventional pain management procedures. However, at the same time, it has also increased radiation-related injuries to physicians and their staff as well as patients. Whereas proper use of fluoroscopy can help safe placement of the needle and the injectate, excessive and improper use of fluoroscopy can lead to radiation-induced injuries. Physicians who performed radiography and fluoroscopy in the first half of the 20th century had higher rates of cancer-related deaths than any other physicians. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory in 1994 suggesting that the key to preventing such unfortunate mishaps may be physician education, training, and credentialing in the safe operation of fluoroscopic equipment. Proper understanding of the radiation dosage, scatter pattern of x-rays while using the fluoroscopy machine, understanding the fluoroscopy machine and using it properly would lead to improved patient care and minimal tissue trauma to the patient, physician, and ancillary staff from radiation.