Tips for Buying Mobile C-Arm Parts

C-Arms have become an essential and fundamental piece of medical equipment in most hospitals throughout the world. A mobile C-arm unit generally consists of two units: the intensifier unit and the television or workstation unit. The intensifier unit consists of a C-arm with a range of movements, allowing for use in a variety of surgical procedures. The C-arm has an image intensifier and an X-ray tube positioned directly opposite from each other. Most common uses include orthopedic surgeries and vascular procedures such as: barium studies, endoscopy, fertility studies, angiography, pain management, urology, cardiac catheterization and other fields. The advantage of using a C-arm is that it allows low intensity x-rays to be amplified, resulting in smaller doses to the patient being treated. The C-arm must be compact and lightweight to allow easy positioning with adequate space to work around the patient and a wide range of motion. The name C-arm is derived from the special arched semi-circular arm which carries both the x-ray source and the detecting device mobile C-Arm parts.

When choosing between a fixed C-arm system and a mobile C-arm, the mobile equipment is more popular as it is more versatile and much less expensive. The reason for this is that the fixed C-arm systems are used for more complex procedures and are therefore equipped with a far greater number of features. On the other hand, most mobile C-arms are currently available in high-end versions which are capable of performing many vascular and cardiac procedures, as well. The important benefit that the mobile C-arm system offers is its ability to go where the patient is, and not vice versa.

If you have decided to purchase a mobile C-arm for your medical facility, it is important to understand all of the C-arm parts that comprise the entire system. When you are in need of C-arm replacement parts, this check list may be helpful in identifying and pinpointing your search for C-arm parts:

* Various C-arm part handles for movement and positioning
* Power switch and exposure switch
* Cable hanger
* Brake pedal
* Controls for radiographic and fluoroscopic settings
* Various interconnect cables
* Hard disk and optical disk writer/rewriter
* DVD R/RW
* PACS system connection
* Advanced image quality enhancement software such as: noise reduction, zoom control
* Contrast and brightness controls
* One or dual 17 inch or larger monitors
* Advanced image processing such as noise reduction
* X-ray tubes (fitted, fixed anode or rotating anode)
* Image intensifiers or on newer models, flat-panel detector
* Cables
* Patient bed

It is highly recommended that with both new and used C-arm systems that the after the C-arm parts, applications and programs are installed, look thoroughly into the applications and have them checked by an expert to make sure they are running properly.