INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH NOVEL MOBILE FLUOROSCOPY DEVICE FOR SIMPLE INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY PROCEDURES:

Purpose: Determine non-inferiority of the Research Prototype (Carestream device) with regards to image quality, radiation dose and transport related complications, compared to a conventional interventional radiology c -arm.

Methods/Materials: The research conducted is single-site study at an academic tertiary care hospital. Targeted fluoroscopic procedures for enrollment included drainage tube check and changes, central venous catheter check (CVC), feeding tube changes (gastrostomy or gastrojejunostomy), biliary drain check and changes, nephrostomy tube check and changes. Adult inpatients were consented and enrolled in an alternating fashion into two groups: standard of care/control and research prototype group. The main variables measured were in two groups: first, the image quality and radiation air kerma rate to determine if the Carestream device performs similarly to the standard of care; and second; the patient transport (transport time and complication rate) to help quantify the value of mobile fluoroscopy to aid in patient safety.

Results: 33 consenting hospital inpatients were included; 17 with the Carestream device and 16 with the standard of care. The image quality provided by the Carestream device allowed for all procedures to be performed safely and successfully. For procedure types performed on both the Carestream device and standard of care, the median Air Kerma Rate of those performed with the Carestream device were at a similar level or lower compared with the standard of care. On average, the transport time for getting the patient to Interventional Radiology was 39 minutes and 33 minutes on the return trip. Over a third of patients required 2 or more staff members for transportation. No complications were reported during transport.

Conclusions: We found that the Carestream device is equal to standard of care in terms of quality of imaging and radiation dose. There were no adverse events for either groups. Similar IR procedures can potentially be done at patient's bedside using the Carestream device, saving hospital resources, minimizing chances of potential harm, and realizing downstream opportunities by offloading often over burdened hospital based Interventional Radiology services.