ABSTRACT
As pain medicine becomes increasingly interventional, the use of fluoroscopy has become more prevalent in the performance of spinal and other injections for the diagnosis and relief of chronic pain. Fluoroscopy is even being used, in some instances, in the performance of peripheral injections, e.g., piriformis muscle injections for chronic pain. A basic understanding of radiation safety is an important part of the pain practitioner’s knowledge base, as it facilitates optimal care for our patients. While some of the spinal injection procedures described in this book may also be performed under computed tomography (CT) guidance, all of the procedures described are performed under fluoroscopic guidance; specifically, fluoroscopy using a C-arm. This chapter will briefly review practical safety concepts to minimize the risk of complications from exposure to ionizing radiation.
