Arthrogram (Joint X-ray)

Joint X-Ray (Arthrogram)

Risks

You can have a few problems from an arthrogram, such as:

• Joint pain for more than 1 or 2 days.
• An allergic reaction to the dye.
• Damage to the structures inside your joint or bleeding in the joint. However, this is very rare because the needle that is used is small.
• Infection in the joint.

There is always a slight risk of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any radiation, including the low levels of radiation used for this test. However, the risk of damage from the X-rays is usually very low compared with the potential benefits of the test.

For example, the radiation exposure from a chest X-ray is about equal to the natural radiation exposure received during a round-trip airline flight from Montreal to Vancouver (Boston to Los Angeles) or ten days in the Rocky Mountains (Denver, Colorado).

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Author:	Carrie Henley Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: July 26, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology Kenneth B. Sutherland, CD, BSc, MD, FRCPC - Diagnostic Radiology
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