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C - A R M
S A F E T Y
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DOSE OF REALITY There are several steps you can take to reduce radiation exposure.
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Reduce Your Radiation Exposure
6 steps to steer clear of
imaging's invisible threat.
Stephen Balter, PhD | New York, N.Y.
While preparing a presentation about C-arm safety for a gathering of pain management physicians, I asked the course director how aggressive the message should be. "Very," he said, before removing his jacket to reveal the telltale scars of chronic radiation exposure on both arms in addition to his nose. During a hands-on training session later that day, I noticed he administered injections with the C-arm aimed across the table, exposing his hands and the tip of his nose to the raw X-ray beams traveling above the patient. The experience confirmed what I already knew: Radiation exposure is a very real, but often overlooked, danger during all fluoroscopic procedures.
