spinecor

[Celia]

Melissa,

I'm not ready to have you leave either and I really can't believe this whole thing is happening - it does feel like a bad dream. You are a dear friend and you're *always* welcome!

Ann,

I was never asked to sign anything and yet when I arrived for the x-ray, I was sent to room 4 rather than room 5 which is the room we normally go to. The x-ray technician didn't say anything to me and when I enquired about the new machine - a tubular enclosure with lights that start flashing from the floor up, she explained that the radiation dose is 20 % of regular x-rays. I didn't question this because I was happy with the prospects of less radiation and I trust drs Rivard and Coillard so I didn't think much of it. I don't think its a panoramic machine but it does take lateral and P/A at the same time. I'll phone the radiology dept at ste Justine tomorrow and ask for the name of this machine so that we can look it up on the internet.


*

[Celia]

It didn't take me too long to find these two articles. I'm wondering how reliable company estimates on low irradiation are I also don't like the idea of my child being irradiated from head to toe??? If the machine irradiates from head to toe that means A LOT more organs are being irradiated vs the old system. I don't know too much about x-ray machines but It worries me that they're comparing this machine to CT and bone scans and that eventually it will be used exclusively for bone scans. I don't think one can compare bone scans to routine x-rays???

http://www.biospace.fr/en/xray.php






New X-rays give better pictures, less radiation

AARON DERFEL
The Gazette


Thursday, March 16, 2006



CREDIT: MARCOS TOWNSEND, THE GAZETTE

Doctor Hubert Labelle, of Ste. Justine Hospital, notes that new X-ray technology provides front and side images at the same time.

Two hospitals in Montreal are the first in North America to use an innovative medical imaging technology that's one-tenth as radioactive as conventional X-rays and far more accurate.

The EOS system provides doctors with three-dimensional images of the skeleton that can be turned on a computer screen to gain more views of a bone abnormality. This will enable orthopedic surgeons to plan better for operations.

The technology also emits 300 to 1,000 times less radiation than a CT scan. Patients won't have to lie on a table while being scanned, as is the case with computerized tomography. Instead, they will stand while the EOS system scans them from head to toe.

The advantage of such images over CT scans is that they show joints and the spine in a normal standing position, giving doctors more accurate images of the skeletal anatomy.

The equipment has been up and running in the last few weeks at Ste. Justine and Notre Dame hospitals on a trial basis. It is being used for the diagnosis of spinal disorders like scoliosis as well as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, a thinning of the bones.

"What is remarkable about the EOS system is that you can get front and side images of each subject simultaneously, which greatly improves the quality of 3-D reconstructions of the spine and pelvis," said Hubert Labelle, professor of surgery at the Universite de Montreal.

Under the EOS system, two X-ray detectors scan the body vertically. With these two full-body X-rays, 3-D computer images are reconstructed. In contrast, a CT scanner takes 500 or more images of the body, emitting far more radiation.

The technology was pioneered in 1996 by French scientist George Charpak, a Nobel laureate. The first prototype was used in a Paris hospital in 2003.

The EOS system won't replace the CT scanner, which is used to detect cancer and other diseases. But, eventually, doctors will probably use EOS exclusively for bone scans, suggested Jacques de Guise, director of the orthopedic research laboratory at the Centre hospitalier de l'universite de Montreal.

De Guise said the EOS system will spare many patients repeated radiation exposure from conventional X-rays. The health risks of radiation are not negligible. Studies have shown that scoliosis patients are at a heightened risk of developing cancer because of repeated X-rays.

Marie Meynadier, president of Biospace (which makes the EOS system), said the technology has been shown to produce better surgical outcomes in patients because of the superior accuracy of the images. She suggested the equipment will eventually be used to plan better for hip- and knee-replacement surgery.

Hospitals across the continent are interested in purchasing the machines, she said. The equipment costs about $500,000.

aderfel@thegazette.canwest.com

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006

[christine2]

I don't know Celia it sounds safer to me. It seems as though the x rays are taken faster and there may be only one instead of 2 views which in it self cuts radiation down. I will be interested to find out more. Keep researching I really value your opinion.

St Justines is on the cutting edge of technology, sometimes change is hard. Look at all the trouble we are having getting Spinecor recognized as a treatment with our orthos.

We go to see Dr. Rivard in August, I want more info before my daughter is X rayed.
Christine

[cherylplinder]

Do the sheilds for the ovaries work with the 3D? Does that mean they are getting x-ray exposure to the brain, too? The exposure is always full body?

You're probably saying,"I don't know yet. That is what we are trying to find out."

Even if the percent exposure is less than before, if it is whole body instead of just spine, I don't like the idea. Then you are exposing areas that you don't have to have x-ray exposure.

I would be surprised if they couldn't control the area x-rayed. In a CT, they choose the areas to do the cuts on. Hopefully they have the capability to do full body, but can choose spine. The gonadal shields would probably not work, though. 20% is a lot less than normal. It might be a trade off.

[Celia]

Cheryl/Christine,

I have to agree 100% with Cheryl on this. When Deirdre was standing in the enclosure the lights started flashing from the ground up and once it reached the top of her head, the x-ray was finished so I would assume that it's not just localized exposure and that the brain would be irradiated as well. I wasn't asked to sign a consent form and the fact that everyone else was, is making me feel ill to my stomach.

[gallathea]

Hi Christine--

I'm sending you a private message about bodysuits.

Best,
Caroline

[arairdon]

xray

Celia,

I'm not sure about this, but I'm wondering if the consent forms were only for those of us from the State's. Maybe because this machine isn't used over here yet?

Ann R.

[gerbo]

Laura;

Saw your post in surgical thread. You must feel like shit at the moment. When you're ready please let us know what happened. If you need a chat feel free to ring tomorrow, we'll be in till 12 o'clock.

Take care

gerbo

[RugbyLaura]

Gerbo,

Thanks for your kind offer. I will ring soon, maybe this morning but I'm going shopping to buy the most deluxe mattress topper you can find! Immy was a superstar last night and fell asleep wearing "George". Unfortunately she woke up at 1am with toothache & couldn't get back to sleep so I let her take it off.

Anyway, here's what happened - X rays 1st, then Mr Cole. What a lovely man! He was so honest (maybe too honest) and genuine but the 1st shock for us was that the curve has grown to 38 derees (10 degrees in 6 months, 6 degrees in 3 months). Considering her age and the fact that she has grown very little in this time he considers her scoliosis to be aggressive and the highest risk for progression. We are basically using SpineCor to buy time before surgery so as to let her get as much height as possible. This was really not the news we wanted!

The we saw Mr Mills, Immy liked him better (because he didn't talk so much about surgery and was less scary). He said much the same as Mr Cole. ie she is in the most serious category. He said that there was an (extremely slim) chance that if we squeeze her curve down to 20 in brace we might avoid surgery. But not likely - her curve in brace yesterday was 31 degrees.

I can't see her dancing in the brace. There's just not enough hip / shoulder / waist mobility. Perhaps this will improve with time?

Laura X

[cherylplinder]

What was her supine x-ray? Did they do one?
Rachel started out at 38T/27L. She was 31 or so on fitting with Spinecor. Then she was 22/22. Then she was 20/18. Then she was 22/20. She has grown 3 or 4 inches since she got the Spinecor.
The year her thoracic curve progressed from 18 to 38 degrees she only grew 2 cm.
I felt better after she grew so much in brace and did not progress anymore, but improved.
If Immy's curve is very rigid, it may not respond. That is why I asked about her supine x-ray. Dr. Rivard said on fitting that he thought he could get Rachel to 22 degrees. That is what her supine x-ray was - 22 degrees.

You may find that on your follow-up, she is much improved. I hope so.

Hugs!

Cheryl

[emarismom]

Laura, very sorry to hear that Immy may eventually need surgery. Keep your
spirits up though, as none of us truly know what will lie ahead. As bad as the surgery will be, at least we can all be thankful that there IS a surgery that can correct our children's spines and that they WILL be able to lead normal, full, and productive lives despite the scoliosis.

How is IMMy feeling today, I hope better. Is she adjusting well to the brace. Emily hasn't named her brace yet. It's just- THE BRACE. She is doing so well with it that I am amazed. The kids are so resilient!! I'm
stressing out so much more than she is

To change the subject, how does everyone deal with caring for and washing the brace? The doctor told me to wash it once a week in the delicate cycle.
I did this yesterday, but was scared to put it in the dryer. I just put it in the
Fluff air cycle. I took off the crotch straps and leg bands. I was so nervous trying to put it back together.

[Celia]

Laura,

If the doctors feel Immy's curve is the aggressive type and it's so close to the 40 degree mark, why don't they place her in a corrective cast for a few months and get her curve to a new level followed by the Spinecor. Honestly, given the surgical alternative a cast is the lesser of the evils.

[RugbyLaura]

Thanks Guys!

We're all feeling a lot brighter now. Amazing how quickly we get used to things isn't it?

Cheryl - Rachel's story sounds spookily similar to Immy's, except for the second curve. Your history has given us hope, perhaps we can get it down to 20? We'll certainly try.

Michelle - Immy is feeling much better today and is wanting to show George off to her friends. She finds the no.4 strap the most annoying as it pulls her shoulder down & back and digs in a bit. But she's not complaining much at all. Re washing - Mr Mills said to bung the whole thing in on a gentle wash (no fabric conditioner) and then tumble dry on a low heat. I know that my tumble dryer gets pretty hot even on a low heat if on for more than 10 mins so I intend trying 10 mins at a time with a bit of waving it around in between!

Celia - thanks for your hug on SSO! I was feeling very low last night. Much better now thanks to all of my Scoliosis friends! Our consultant does not believe that rigid bracing of any kind would be useful to Immy. We just have to hope that with hard work & perseverance we can beat this thing!

Immy is finding the poppers on the bodysuits a bit tricky and I'm worried that she'll find it frustrating, time consuming and therefore embarassing at school. Has anyone ever tried using velcro instead of poppers?

Thanks again,

Laura X

[RugbyLaura]

Sorry Cheryl, I forgot to say: They don't do supine x-ray but Mr Cole said that her curve was very flexible (tested by getting Dad to lift her off the ground under her armpits) and that he would not operate until he felt it was becoming fixed. He would even let it get as high as 70 dergrees if he felt he could still get a good correction, to allow her more growth. Mr Mills said that her curve was reasonably flexible. I didn't see how he checked this.

Laura X

[Allegra]

Bodysuits!

Hi everyone!
If any of you are interested in looking at different bodysuits, i think i may have found something. Surprisingly, this was a myspace ad. If you check it out, let me know your opinions. The rest of the site would not be for any kids, unless it's under the kids section.
Parents, I wouldn't waste my time on it either, unless you are looking for shiny workout pants or something..

<3 Allegra

http://store.americanapparel.net/rsa8338.html