Written by Hulet Smith, OT
Imaging tables streamline procedures, making the medical professional’s job easier and the patient’s experience as positive as possible. Features that increase efficiency while decreasing strain on imaging techs make imaging tables a high-value choice when compared to regular exam and surgical tables.
The Top 3:
5) Oakworks CFPM400 C-Arm Imaging Table
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4) Trendelenburg Imaging Table with Adjustable Backrest, Footrest, and Drop Window
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3) Clinton Open Base Power Imaging Table
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With the largest adjustable height range available and 500-pound capacity, the CFPM400 C-Arm Imaging Table by Oakworks Medical has a well-earned spot on our top 5 list.
This fluoroscopy imaging table accommodates mobile C-arm and ceiling suspended systems. It boasts a 56-inch imaging window, integrated headrest, height range of 26 to 44 inches, and four different movements. It facilitates easier wheelchair patient transfers to maximum height requirements for full lateral imaging. It has a radiolucent foam tabletop pad, a head support pad, a face rest pad, and two patient safety straps.
The oversized rigid lifting column is what gives it the capability to lift bariatric patients. In addition to its height-adjustability, its Trendelenburg motion tilts + 15 degrees/-12 degrees, it’s 10 inches of electrical longitudinal travel speeds positioning, and it has an electrical lateral tilt of plus or minus 15 degrees. It has two level indicators to locate the horizontal position. The multiple function hand control is attached to a 6-foot cord and the power cord is 10 feet long. Its 4-inch locking casters allow for smooth rolling and secure locking, and it has an easy-access emergency stop button.
This table comes with a 3-year warranty on parts, a 2-year warranty on labor, and has multiple options and accessories to tailor the configuration of this C-arm imaging table for your practice.
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For a multi-featured table that works with either mobile C-arm or suspended systems, this table rises above others with the largest lifting range available, a significant imaging window, and high weight accommodation.
Oakworks Medical has also earned the number 4 spot on our list with the Multi Speciality Ultrasound Table. Built with practices that conduct a wide variety of exams in mind, this table boasts flexibility along with an ergonomic design that will accommodate any work style and be a great fit for any ultrasound department.
This unique table can be set up like a chair to facilitate transfers for patients with mobility challenges, comfortably transitioning them to lie down on the exam table. It has 3 inches of comfort padding. Its height and positioning are electrically adjustable and the practitioner can choose to use a hand or foot control. With two access panels, the sonographer doesn’t have to stretch or strain to reach one.
It has a 550-pound lift and load capacity with a twin-tower design that adds strength and stability. It offers Trendelenburg and Reverse Trendelenburg positioning =/- 15 degrees. Its electric Fowler backrest has a range of 0 to 75 degrees, and its manual 4-position leg rest has a range of 0 to 90 degrees.
The design of the table’s base delivers unobstructed compatibility with ultrasound equipment, and it was created with input from leading ergonomic specialists to address sonographer comfort. The table has a dropping footboard and footrests that are stirrups. It has locking casters and a removable paper roll holder that can be folded out of the way. This high-quality table has a 3-year warranty on parts and a 2-year warranty on labor.
Like all Oakworks Medical tables, the 3-Motion C-Arm Imaging Table is FDA listed, promising the highest level of patient safety. The number 3 table on our list, it matches other models in its product line with the widest adjustable height range available. The 3-Motion C-Arm Imaging Table comes in a 500-pound capacity or a bariatric 750-pound version.
Either standing comfortably with smaller patients, or easily transferring larger patients, healthcare professionals appreciate the versatility of this fluoroscopy table. It has a carbon fiber tabletop with a choice of a headrest. It has a tabletop radiolucent 1-inch comfort foam cushion for comfort, and a safety strap for patient security. It boasts a 56-inch imaging space and rolls on 4-inch casters. The sturdy lifting tower allows the operator to garner clearer images, choosing from 5 motions. The Trendelenburg tilt range is +15/-12 degrees and the lateral tilt goes up to 15.5 degrees.
The all-electric design is low maintenance and the table has a 3-year warranty and parts and a 2-year warranty on labor. The multiple motion bariatric capacity imaging table is a valuable investment for hospitals, surgery centers, pain management clinics, and private practices. If you are seeking a durable imaging table that can accommodate patients up to 750 pounds, this fluoroscopy table will make your practice more efficient while delivering top-level care.
The number 2 table on our list is the Trendelenburg Imaging Table by Clinton Industries, which has a 3-piece tabletop with an adjustable backrest, footrest, and an unobstructed base design with a drop window.
It provides unobstructed 360-degree patient access for the clinician and maximum patient comfort, providing accurate imaging. Its user-friendly hand control progresses easily from flat to Trendelenburg to Reverse Trendelenburg positions, with its dual lift system lifting from either or both ends. The pneumatic adjustment system moves the backrest into place smoothly, and the footrest manually raises from either side up to 30 degrees from a flat position
This imaging table cycles through its range of motion via the easy-to-use hand control. The dual lift system ensures smooth position changes as the table is lifted from either one or both ends to achieve flat, Trendelenburg, and Reverse Trendelenburg positions plus or minus 15 degrees. The sturdy base can safely accommodate patients up to 500 pounds.
It can be ordered in widths of 27 inches or 34 inches to accommodate any space. It comes in a choice of 17 colors with a paper dispenser and two safety straps. It has a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Your clinicians and your patients will appreciate the accurate imaging provided by obstruction-free 360-degree. It is operator- and user-friendly, smoothly and safely transitioning between positions. The extensive menu of compatible options allows you to customize this imaging table to fit the specific needs of your practice, and it will serve you well for years to come.
The many options available for the Open Base Power Imaging Table make it Clinton Industries’ best-selling model and the number 1 entry on our list.
A piece of equipment that is designed to benefit clinicians, as well as patients, will serve your practice well. This popular open-base power imaging table has four models to choose from with one, two, or three-section tops available. It can be completely customized to best fit your practice’s individual needs now and in the future.
Its simple-to-use electrically powered foot pedal smoothly adjusts the table height between 18 and 35 inches. This table has 2-inch firm foam padding for comfortable support of patients weighing up to 450 pounds.
Clinicians have easy patient access to hard-to-reach areas via the drop-down hinged imaging window, which contributes to the most accurate and comfortable imaging possible. The open base design of this adjustable imaging table allows practitioners to work efficiently without distractions or obstructions. Its heavy-duty uni-frame, all-welded lift mechanism, powder-coated surface, and self-lubricating joints mean this table will have a long service life.
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This power imaging table offers precise options that allow for a high level of customization to meet the individual needs of your practice. Its durability and extended warranty ensure years of trouble-free service to safely and comfortably deliver highly accurate imaging to patients. This popular table earned the top spot on this list for its versatility and durability and overall clinician and patient user-friendliness. It is a great all-around choice for any imaging facility.
Although all imaging tables have the common purpose of providing a safe and efficient means of getting clear images that allow clinicians to contribute to patient well-being, different models offer different features. Purchasing an imaging table is a major expense for any practice, so it will pay off to consider what will make the most impact on your practice now and into the future.
The kinds of procedures your practice specializes in will have a lot to do with what kind of imaging table is the best investment for your organization. Looking at data over the past year (or more) of what kind of procedures you do most often can inform your decision on what is the most beneficial buy for your practice.
If you average a large number of procedures requiring an imaging table every day, it makes sense to consider a higher grade table and/or buy accessories that will make performing and transitioning between procedures quicker and more efficient. If you are not a high-volume department, the added expense to get people in and out quicker so you can serve the next patient might not be worth the cost.
Survey your treatment area and make sure an imaging table can fit through the doorway of the room or rooms where you’ll be using it. If it’s going to be moved, all doorways - and elevators if the table will be used on multiple floors - need to be able to accommodate the table. Measure twice, order once!
It’s not uncommon for a table to be moved around a procedure room to perform certain procedures. If a table is going to be repositioned, remember the length of the power cord needs to be considered if you don’t want to be unplugging and plugging in the cored every time the table is moved.
If inside delivery is necessary because you don’t have a loading dock at your facility, be prepared to pay an additional fee. Consider how you’ll get it from the delivery truck to the treatment room, and how will you uncrate it. Since some assembly is required after delivery, you need to decide if the assembly is something your staff can handle or if you need to hire a qualified technician to assemble it.
With side rails that tuck under the table, a sonographer can get closer to the patient than with a standard exam table.
Adjustability allows for a clinician to sit or stand for a procedure, and makes it easier for patients who need assistance to get on to the table.
A central locking system saves time during procedures because all the casters can be locked and unlocked with just one step.
The common 5-inch casters of most imaging tables make it easier to move them, so a patient doesn’t have to get off the table when moving from an exam to a procedure room.
Unlike a standard table’s box frame that can result in banged-up ankles for a clinician, an open chassis design allows a sonographer to get closer to the patient without frame obstructions.
Most modern imaging tables have the capability to lower the foot section with easy one-handed operation. The easily accessible stirrups are slid out from the body of the table rather than taking them off and putting them back on for every patient transfer.
Most imaging tables today come with simple electric foot and hand controls to control height and other motions.
Cutouts in modern imaging tables allow for maximum access to the patient during certain scans.
The weight capacity and the width of the table are specifications that could be a factor depending on your patient population.
If an imaging table is a good fit for your practice, the models on our Top 5 list will serve you well no matter the size and scope of your needs. For safe, efficient, and quality care delivery, any of these tables will be a benefit to your staff, your patients, and your organization.
Although general surgery tables provide a level of imaging support, today’s advanced imaging procedures require imaging tables. These tables can provide any type of fluoroscopy; imagery for cardiovascular procedures, and procedures that require Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, lateral/longitudinal float, height adjustment, or lateral tilt; and specialized 3-dimensional imaging.
Most of today’s surgery tables have some imaging capability. Fluoroscopy and C-arm tables specifically allow for flexible and precise movement so clinicians can properly line up the patients with the C-arm.
A table with a Radiolucent Carbon Fiber Tabletop has an expanded imaging window compared to regular surgical tables. The carbon fiber top helps create higher quality images with lower doses of x-rays. Fluoroscopy tables most often have radiolucent thinner table pads.
With a floating top table, a clinician can move the table laterally or in a diagonal lateral direction to get the patient into the best position for the best image.
Fluoroscopy shows internal structures moving in real-time. An imaging table is especially helpful in diagnosing issues with the cardiovascular, reproductive, and digestive systems, and can be used to guide surgeons during orthopedic surgeries or heart catheterizations.
A C-Arm intensifies scanned images, connecting an X-ray source and an X-ray detector. Although C-Arms have radiographic capabilities, they are mostly used for fluoroscopy imaging during emergency, orthopedic, and surgical procedures, providing high-resolution images in real-time.
The cost of an imaging table is significantly higher than that of a standard procedure table, but an imaging table can actually save a significant amount of money over time. Patient access reduces the physical strain - and accompanying potential injuries - on clinicians. These tables also lessen examination and transition times, boosting productivity and efficiency.
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