[ RadSafe ] Fluoroscopy exposure question

[Howard Long]

Karen,
Be sure your mother is not getting back pain from collapse from estrogen deficiency
(cause of common "dowager's hump)
HL

howard.long at comcast.net

On Jul 25, 2012, at 9:46 PM, S L Gawarecki <slgawarecki at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I have an actual technical radiation safety question.  My mother has had
> two facet joint injection procedures to treat her chronic back pain.  Facet
> joints are the small joints located between each vertebra, and a painful
> syndrome can develop when one or more becomes inflamed or irritated from
> arthritis or other causes.  The injection of a local anesthetic and a
> corticosteroid anti-inflammatory medicine is guided by fluoroscopy.  This
> can be repeated every two months.  She is contemplating another procedure
> called radiofrequency neurotomy, which interrupts the nerves to the facet
> joint by thermal denervation using a radiofrequency probe, again guided
> using a fluoroscope.  This procedure has a longer-lasting effect.  Both
> procedures are performed on an outpatient basis.  The facet joint
> injections take 20 to 30 minutes, and the radiofrequency neurotomy takes 30
> to 60 minutes.  The patient is then observed for 45 minutes of initial
> recovery.
> 
> Does anyone know the typical radiation exposures associated with these
> procedures?  What questions should she be asking about the use of the
> fluoroscope?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any information.
> 
> Susan Gawarecki
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