And at Tel Aviv University in Israel, a fluoroscopically-guided catheter is used to clear women's fallopian tubes of scar tissue that has been preventing conception. Some previously infertile patients have conceived within two months of treatment. Fluoroscopy can improve the safety of other procedures. For example, blindly probing a tumor to remove cells for examination, some surgeons believe, can actually spread the disease by introducing cancer cells into the bloodstream. Knowing precisely which cell types are cancerous can aid a physician in choosing the most effective therapy.
Fluoroscopy is also useful in studying the esophagus.
In a procedure called Maloney dilation, a tube is passed through constrictions in the esophagus to try to alleviate a persistent feeling of having a lump in the throat. Done blindly, the procedure is successful 80 percent of the time, but damages delicate throat tissues up to 2.2 percent of the time. Gastroenterologist Leslie E. Tucker, M.D., of Washington, Mo., reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology on results in 145 patients treated for a constricted esophagus with a Maloney dilator and fluoroscopy. He found improved safety and efficacy over using a dilator alone. When both techniques were used, he reported, the rate of success rose to 96 percent, with no injuries.