Wang TY, et al. - Since minimally invasive surgical procedures are associated with increased exposure to radiation and long-term health risks compared to open procedures, researchers have determined the accuracy and radiation output of ultralow radiation imaging coupled with image enhancement and instrument tracking (ULRI-IE/IT) in a variety of surgical procedures compared to unassisted conventional fluoroscopy. For this investigation, physicians of different specialties were asked to identify the ideal location for instrumentation in different spinal, orthopedic, pain and physiatric procedures and then place an instrument in a corpse with and without ULRI-IE/IT assistance at this location. Twenty-three trials of nine procedures were completed by five physicians with and without ULRI-IE/IT assistance. Without assistance, the total time to localize the instrument for all 23 cases was 31.2% longer. Using ULRI-IE/IT decreased the total number of images per case by 74.8% and the exposure to radiation by 91.8%. Findings suggested that using ULRI-IE/IT can dramatically reduce radiation output and the number of acquired images and the time needed to perform fluoroscopic procedures.