What should be avoided to reduce skin burn during fluoroscopy?

To reduce the risk of skin burns during fluoroscopy, it is crucial to limit the duration of each exposure. Keeping exposures as short as necessary minimizes the total radiation dose the patient receives, which is directly related to the risk of skin damage. Fluoroscopy involves continuous imaging, and the longer a patient is exposed to radiation, the higher the dose absorbed by the skin, increasing the likelihood of burns.

Maintaining a large source-to-skin distance is also an important factor that helps to minimize skin dose, as the intensity of radiation decreases with distance. Using high-quality grids can improve image quality but does not directly address the risk of skin burns. Additionally, the positioning of the x-ray tube, while important for patient comfort and image quality, does not have the same direct impact on reducing skin burns compared to limiting exposure time.

Thus, the correct practice involves consciously managing the duration of fluoroscopic exposure to protect the patient from potential skin burns.