MIAMI – Miami Children’s Hospital is now offering the EOS Imaging System, the first technology capable of providing full-body images of patients in a natural standing position, in 3D and with a low radiation dose. Miami Children’s Hospitalis the first facility in Miami-Dade and second in the state to acquire the EOS Imaging System. Patients with scoliosis typically undergo imaging every three to six months over a period of several years, which can amount to more than 20 total scans over the course of treatment. This technology makes possible high-quality images with a radiation dose up to nine times less than a computed radiography X-ray and up to 20 times less than a CT scan. The device also reduces the amount of time it takes to conduct a radiological scan.
“The EOS Imaging System advances Miami Children’s Hospital's commitment to provide the best possible care for the patients we serve through safe and prompt diagnosis and treatment,” said Dr. Harry Shufflebarger, Director of the Division of Pediatric Spinal Surgery at Miami Children’s Hospital. “As the region’s largest and most comprehensive orthopaedic practice, it is our duty to offer the best and safest technology available,” he said.
The device is also the only 3D system capable of scanning patients in a weight-bearing standing or sitting position to capture natural posture and joint orientation. Research has demonstrated an intricate relationship between regions of the musculoskeletal system, particularly between the spine and lower body, and 3D bony images of the skeleton enable physicians to make more informed diagnosis and treatment decisions. Prior to EOS, clinicians often had to “stitch” together multiple smaller, 2D images to approximate a full picture of the target anatomy. This process was particularly problematic for complex orthopedic conditions, like spinal disorders.
The EOS Imaging system was developed from Nobel Prize-winning technology and has been shown to be appropriate for a range of musculoskeletal conditions including those involving the hips, knees and spine.
The Radiology Department at Miami Children's Hospital is a regional leader for pediatric radiology, serving children throughout Florida as well as the Caribbean, Central America and South America. More than 120,000 radiological images were performed at MCH and its outpatient centers in 2012. The Division of Pediatric Spinal Surgery at Miami Children's Hospital is one of a few in the country that specializes in pediatric spinal surgery.