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What Is a Roadmap C-Arm?

Medical roadmap systems and C-arms enable diagnosis and treatment through X-ray images. Coupled with a roadmap, a C-arm allows medical professionals to see live images of internal body systems or objects. These images allow medical staff to monitor the inside of the body during surgical procedures, and check for damage or disease of the arteries or other body parts.

  1. History

    • The Dutch medical technology and lighting company Royal Philips Electronics introduced the C-arm in 1955. Initially, doctors used this device for general and orthopedic surgery, but as the design improved, C-arm use has expanded to a number of minimally invasive procedures, such as outpatient testing for cardiac, urology and vascular conditions.

    Angiography

    • Interventional radiologists use the C-arm in angiography, which is the use of X-rays to provide images of arteries and veins to check for blockages or other vascular problems. Radiologists inject a contrast medium into the vessel to make it visible in X-rays. The procedure also involves insertion of a catheter into the vessel. The resulting images are angiograms. In some cases, the professional can perform an angioplasty or thrombolysis to repair a vessel. The C-arm's image-taking function allows monitoring of these procedures.

    Fluoroscopy

    • Medical professionals use C-arms in fluoroscopy, which is the use of X-ray technology to create live imaging. The C-arm is like the video camera in a fluoroscopy procedure. The medical personnel can rotate a C-arm in all directions to get different angles, positions and vantage points. The patient lies on an examination table, and the examiner positions one end of the C-arm next to the portion of the body undergoing examination or surgery. Each end of the C-arm contains equipment that acts like the lens of a camera, and the images appear at a computer workstation.

    Roadmap Technology

    • Roadmap technology appeared in the 1960s, and in 2005 began utilizing 3D technology. A roadmap consists of a combination of angiographic and fluoroscopic images displayed at a computer workstation, with the C-arm connected to the workstation to provide live imaging. The computer system overlays these two types of images to create the combined roadmap image. Doctors use these images to guide wires, catheters or other objects placed into the body during surgical procedures. Roadmap images can also provide a visual display of aneurysms or other medical conditions.

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