The Blackberry Clinic is a leader in the field of spinal treatment and is the only multidisciplinary clinic of its kind in the UK to have two C-arm fluoroscopy theatres.
Fluoroscopy is an imaging technique commonly used by our physicians to obtain real-time static and moving images of the internal structures of a patient through the use of a fluoroscope. In its simplest form, a fluoroscope consists of an X-ray source and fluorescent screen between which a patient is placed. However, modern fluoroscopes couple the screen to an image intensifier allowing the images to be recorded and played on a monitor.
Our physicians always use low dose rates during fluoroscopic procedures, the length of a typical procedure in the Blackberry Clinic results in only a minimal radiation dose.
We have used the C-arm fluoroscope at the Blackberry Clinic to assess the pattern of movement in the lumbar and cervical spine to analyse levels of possible instability leading to back and neck pain. The information gathered is often used to direct spinal injections to the right place in the safest and most effective manner. The injections are also carried out under direct guidance using one of our C-arm fluoroscopes. This innovative technique has been used here on many Olympic rowers and international footballers.
