EOS Imaging
Overview
The EOS Imaging System is a low-dose, 3D imaging system that scans your child standing up. Unlike a traditional X-ray that captures one small area of the body, EOS provides a life-size picture of your child’s full skeleton in a standing or sitting position to capture natural posture and joint orientation. This enables us to view all areas of the body from multiple angles with one image, allowing our physicians to diagnose orthopaedic conditions more precisely.
EOS is primarily used to assess pediatric patients with spine, hip and leg disorders, including scoliosis and leg length deformities. It is not typically used for injuries or conditions that can be evaluated with general radiography, such as broken bones in the arms, legs, hands or feet. Traditional X-rays are still the standard of care for diagnosing these injuries.
Safety
The EOS uses nine times less radiation than a conventional radiography X-ray and up to 20 times less than a computed tomography (CT) scan. Because of the low radiation dose, EOS imaging is beneficial for orthopaedic patients with scoliosis and other spinal deformities who require frequent imaging to monitor disease progression.
We take every safety precaution and have set the standards for reducing children's exposure to radiation across all imaging tests and procedures. The EOS technology is yet another tool that enables us to provide the best imaging services while reinforcing our commitment to safety and low-dose imaging options for our patients.
What to expect
During the exam, your child will stand inside the EOS machine for about 30 seconds while the X-ray is taken. Because of the extremely low radiation dose, no protective lead apron is needed. The exam is performed using two fine X-ray beams that capture the frontal and lateral images of the patient’s body.
Unlike a conventional radiograph, this new technology is equipped with faster imaging capabilities. The total exam cycle with EOS is under four minutes for the most complex spine exams, compared to 15 to 20 minutes with conventional radiographs.