Lunar DPX-IQ, Operator'S Manual, Page: 29 / 166

DPX-IQ Operator’s Manual Basic Procedures 2-3
• Use the home key (
/
) to go back to the previous screen. Changes made
during analysis are not saved if you select this key. However, changes made in
the Verify Values window during acquisition are saved.
• Use the page up and page down keys to select specified options shown during
the program.
2.2 Start the DPX-IQ Program
1. Turn on the scanner for one hour. LUNAR recommends you leave the scanner on at
all times.
2. Turn on the printer, computer, and monitor.
3. At the Windows Desktop, double click on the LUNAR icon. The Options screen is
shown.
2.3 Basic Acquisition Procedures
Information given in this section is applicable to all scan types. Refer to appendixes A
thru G for specified acquisition procedures.
2.3.1 Patient Considerations
Obey the patient considerations that follow before you start a patient scan:
• Clothing Restrictions: Make sure the patient removes items that can attenuate
the x-ray beam, such as clothing with zippers, snaps, buckles, and buttons.
Require patients to wear a jogging suit to the exam or give them an examination
gown when they arrive.
• Radionuclides and Radiopaque Agents: Make sure the patient has not
ingested or been injected with radionuclides or radiopaque agents in the past 3–5
days. If the patient has taken tests that use such agents, postpone the scan until
all traces of the element have left the patient’s body. A 72-hour waiting period is
usually long enough for most agents to leave the patient’s body. However,
consult your radiation safety officer (RSO).
• Pregnancy Restrictions: If it is necessary to scan a pregnant patient, the fetus
can be exposed to small amounts of radiation. Postpone the scan until the end of
pregnancy if clinical management is not affected.
The decision to subject a fetus to radiation exposure must be made by the
referring physician, noting that 1) bone quality for most patients does not
significantly change during pregnancy, and 2) in the advanced stages of
pregnancy, the fetus’ mineralized bone can interfere with measurements of the
mother’s spine and femur.