Radiation exposure to staff members during traction X-rays

Background Determining the flexibility of a scoliosis curve is important, during both conservative and surgical management, and traction x-rays of the patient’s spine are frequently done as part of this evaluation. The traction x-ray is done with the patient in the supine position, and with staff members pulling on the patient’s arms and legs. The use of staff to produce the traction radiograph has two major disadvantages: the pull on the arms and legs is not standardized, and the staff is exposed to x-ray each time they perform a radiograph. Ingegno [1] determined that exposure to personnel applying arm traction, for cervical radiographs, was 0.01mGy. But there are few studies that assess the radiation exposure to staff during imaging for AIS. It has been determined that a typical spinal radiograph exposes the patient to 3.2 (+/-1.6) mGy of radiation. [2]