Spine and orthopedic specialists at Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s are using low-radiation EOS Imaging to evaluate and monitor spine conditions such as scoliosis and conditions affecting the hips and lower limbs.

The EOS system delivers 50% to 85% less dose than digital radiography and 95% less dose than computed tomography (CT). Follow-up spine exams can be performed while delivering the equivalent of a week’s worth of natural radiation.

The EOS system achieves its low-dose radiation and quality imaging by collimating the radiation into parallel rays that travel in a very narrow path. This dramatically reduces radiation exposure — a clear benefit, especially for patients who need repeated images.

Skilled radiology technicians further minimize the exposure by adjusting precisely for the size and age of the patient.

With the help of a $300,000 grant from the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation with support from PACCAR Foundation, the EOS system was recently installed at the Norton Healthcare Pavilion in downtown Louisville.

The machine is adjustable for height and patients may stand, sit, bend, squat or sit, depending on the area of evaluation.

The bi-planar device includes two perpendicular fan beams of X-rays and proprietary detectors that travel vertically while scanning the patient’s full body or an anatomical region of interest. In less than 20 seconds, the EOS exam produces two simultaneous bi-planar (frontal and lateral) low-dose images of the whole body or an anatomical segment, without magnification.

The 3D full-body view provides a global assessment of the patient’s skeletal system for a better understanding of joint conditions, alignment and posture.