What Are The Best C-arms for Pain Management?

If you're starting a new pain management practice, or looking to add new equipment to your facility, the buffet of C-arm options may leave you overwhelmed. 

OEC is the most preferred pain management C-arm brand among customers. So, with all that in mind, how do you decide which OEC model will work best?

There are just a few criteria to consider: Procedures, workflow, and cost. Working out your individual needs in these areas should narrow the choices down.

Below we'll compare popular OEC C-arm models, and highlight which system may be right for your pain management facility.

OEC 9600 vs 9800 vs 9900

Both the OEC 9600 C-arm and 9800 C-arm are great choices for a pain management practitioner. Which one you choose will come down to patient workflow, and cost.

OEC 9600

If your facility experiences low patient workflow, non-advanced procedures, and your budget is tight, the 9600 will more than meet your needs. The 9600 comes in at 30-40% less than the 9800 and, in most pain management situations, will be sufficient.

OEC 9800

Generally, the OEC 9800 is the best choice if you are looking to perform advanced procedures where higher resolution is required. The OEC 9800 has a 1k x 1k x 16 resolution imaging chain. The OEC 9600 has a 512 x 512-pixel resolution imaging chain. This results in the 9800 showing much finer detail in images.

The workflow will be a bit faster with the 9800 due to touchscreens and native DICOM to quickly process images to PACS.

OEC 9900

If you're looking to perform higher-level vascular features, the OEC 9900 may be the best choice for you. In terms of high-resolution images, the 9900 and 9800 have the same resolution imaging chain. The X-ray tube, generator, image intensifier, steering, hardware, and C-arm movements are all the same. If you’re used to the 9800, the 9900 will have a similar feel and footprint.

The 9900 comes in at the highest price point compared to the 9600 and 9800. Facilities with high patient volume, vascular studies, and the need for higher-resolution images may choose the 9900.

Super C

The OEC 9800, 9600, and 9900 offer an additional option for those seeking greater OR flexibility in the form of the Super C. If your budget has a little more wiggle room and you feel your site could benefit from greater maneuverability, the Super C may be worth considering.

A Super C is preferable for maneuvering a C-arm around larger patients because the C-arm arc depth is slightly larger. It also allows some scans to be done by repositioning the C-Arm instead of the patient. 

Having a C-arm angled can provide optimal viewing of the injecting site. A Super C can make that easier because it rotates further around the table. The physician may not have to adjust the C-arm as often, allowing the procedure to complete faster.

Image Intensifiers

Compared: 9" vs. 12" 

When choosing an II size, the procedures you'll be doing will be the greatest consideration. There is also a price differential, which most pain management practitioners will be able to forego.

• 9” IIs allow for greater magnification, allowing physicians to see better detail in a smaller area while performing a procedure. This size of II is ideal for pain management, orthopedics, and general surgery work.
• 12” Image Intensifiers s are primarily used for vascular studies. The extra inches allow for studies such as run-offs which cannot be performed in a single run with a 9” system. This advantage is great for vascular work but is less likely to be used in a standard pain management setting.

The Takeaway

Depending on your site's individual needs, there's a great OEC pain management choice for you. The OEC 9600 is great for facilities performing non-advanced procedures, low patient volume, and a lower budget.

The OEC 9800 and OEC 9900 may fit your needs if you're performing procedures that need higher image resolution, if patient volume is high, and if you have more wiggle room in your budget.

As always, the Block Imaging team is here to help make your next OEC C-arm purchase go smoothly. Browse our extensive inventory of OEC C-arms, browse rental vs. purchase options, or contact our team today to start your C-arm project.