What is a Digital Motion X-ray?
Digital Motion X-ray (DMX) use base, standard X-ray technology with significant enhancements. Digital Motion X-ray technology combines standard X-ray imaging with optic technology and stitches together 32 X-ray pictures per second to create an X-ray video of your bones/joints while in motion. DMX X-ray videos have many advantages compared to standard, non-movement-based X-rays. The main advantage is: DMX X-ray videos provide multiple views and angles of bone/joint and ligament interaction, utilizing extremely low radiation levels to produce high resolution video X-rays. The DMX system includes X-ray analysis tools to dissect each bone/ joint/ligament interaction and precisely identify the source of an injury.
How is a Digital Motion Technology X-ray different from a standard X-ray or MRI?
Standard X-rays are non-movement based and capture a single X-ray image for a defined area. The problem is, most patients feel pain when moving and not while in a static position. Therefore, most Doctors order 3-5 X-ray views (snapshots) in an attempt to identify what the underlying structural problem is. Unfortunately, many injuries require multiple views and angles to precisely identify the cause of the issue and standard, static-based X-rays can often miss critical information. Different from static X-rays, Digital Motion X-rays produce high-resolution, video-based X-rays of your bone structure while in motion. A DMX X-ray machine allows a patient to show “the motion causing pain,” enabling specific identification of bone, joint, and ligament interaction issues.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
An MRI is an imaging technique used to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body.
An MRI is commonly prescribed in an attempt to identify a potential disc issue. Unfortunately, nearly all MRI’s are administered while the joint is not under stress or in motion. Therefore, a stress or motion related injury can be missed. DMX X-ray video show the joint while under the stress of motion. DMX X-rays produces superior views compare to a standard X-ray or MRI’s aiding in precise identification of bone, joint and ligament issues.
Are DMX X-ray video only used to determine back and neck issues?
No, a DMX X-ray can identify structural issues throughout your body. DMX X-rays are best used to evaluate joints where specific movement(s) result in pain. Therefore, DMX X-ray videos work well to identify injuries in the neck, shoulders, arms, hands, knees and feet. The bottom line is, if joint movement causes pain and you want to determine the “root cause” get a DMX X-ray video and analysis.
DMX is more than just a video X-ray, Analytics are key!
A DMX procedure includes a complete and detailed analysis of the health and flexibility of an extremity, joint or spine. The procedure creates an X-ray video and a detailed report to determine ligament damage, missed fractures and other abnormalities often missed by a standard X-ray.
What is Ligament Damage?
A Ligament is a short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or cartilages or holds together a joint. When ligament damage occurs from accidents, sports injuries, repetitive movements or prolonged poor posture, ligaments can become stretched, partially or fully torn. Once a ligament is damaged it permits excessive bone movement increasing joint stress. Increased joint stress leads to muscle inflammation and nerve irritation causing pain. If the injury is left untreated, disc and joint degeneration can occur leading to abnormal range of motion, stiffness and resulting in headaches and many other abnormalities.
Unfortunately, ligament damage is extremely difficult to detect with standard, non-movement-based X-rays and therefore can be unrecognized leading to long term pain and joint injury.
The good news is, Digital Motion X-rays are designed to identify ligament issues. A DMX video X-ray shows the bone/joint in motion and using statistical data, the DMX analysis tool will identify if a structure is moving and reacting to stress as it should. Specifically, the analysis tool measures the bones/joint movement compared to norms to determine the precise location and severity of a ligament injury.
Why do the best Doctors and Attorneys require DMX X-ray videos?
Credibility… seeing is believing! If a Doctor, Patient or Attorney visibly “sees the injury” it allows for more effective diagnosis and treatment while increasing a patient’s understanding.
DMX X-ray videos provide objective evidence when used to prove a patient’s injury to insurance companies or in a court of law. Objective evidence is a legal term and refers to information based on facts that can be proven by means of analysis, measurement, and observation. DMX X-ray videos and analysis tools define the issue, measure its severity, and observe (show) the injury in a high-resolution X-ray video. This fact-based data allows for increased settlements compared to traditional non-movement-based X-rays.
Are DMX X-ray video safe? Do they use DMX use more radiation than standard X-rays?
DMX X-ray videos are as safe as a standard X-ray. You could actually say DMX X-ray videos are safer. A DMX X-ray video produces 2,700 X-ray images using the same amount radiation as 6 standard X-rays. You ultimately receive more views without increase radiation. This is a real win/win for all. Better information, leads to better injury identification, better injury identification and understand can lead to fast recovery.
Can DMX prove permanent injury?
Yes. A DMX X-ray read by a medical doctor radiologist with analysis will show if a ligament injury is present and the severity of the ligament damage. Using the AMA Guides to Permanent Impairment 5th Edition Pg. 392, table 15-5, states when there is a change in angulation by a specific degree, the injury is considered a DRE Category IV injury and it warrants a whole person impairment ranging from 25-28%. A DMX X-ray video and radiologist analysis can be the basis to justify whole person impairment.
