Hospitals, surgery centers and clinics in El Paso can buy a C-arm from a supplier elsewhere in Texas, such as our team in Garland, more than 600 miles away. That works well when the Texas paperwork is planned early and the machine is checked as carefully as it would be in person. We sell refurbished C-arms as part of our C-arm machine sales, repair and rental in Texas, and this page is our guide for El Paso buyers.
The Texas rules come first
A C-arm is a radiation machine under Texas rules, so three things have to be in place before the first patient:
- Your facility's DSHS certificate of registration for radiation machines must be current.
- Whoever installs or repairs the C-arm must be registered with DSHS, and Texas rules say you may not use them until they show you proof.
- An equipment performance evaluation is due within 30 days of installation (DSHS guidance). For fluoroscopy on human-use machines, those measurements are licensed medical physicist work, so book your physicist early.
Which C-arm fits your El Paso practice
Most buying mistakes come from choosing a machine for the wrong cases. These guides cover the common situations:
- Mini C-arms for hand, foot and ankle work
- C-arms for pain management clinics
- C-arms for vascular procedures
- Refurbished versus used C-arms
- The full cost of owning a C-arm
How to check a C-arm you cannot see in person
- Tube and generator: ask for the X-ray tube's hours or exposure count and any error history.
- Image chain: ask for recent test images of a phantom at normal and high-level settings. Burn-in spots or uneven brightness show up immediately.
- Mechanics: a video of every movement and lock, and the collimator opening and closing.
- Dose display and last-image hold: required on fluoroscopic equipment made on or after June 10, 2006, so check the manufacture date on the label.
- Paperwork: the refurbishment test record and the serial numbers of the C-arm and the monitor cart.
Shipping and arrival
A C-arm and its monitor cart travel as two pieces, locked and padded, on pallets or in crates, with liftgate delivery. On arrival, have the C-arm inspected for shipping damage and tested before the physicist's evaluation, and add both pieces to your equipment inventory.
Service in El Paso
A timeline from quote to first case
| Stage | What happens | Who is involved |
|---|---|---|
| Define the need | List procedures, case volume and where images must go | Physicians, practice manager |
| Room review | Shielding and layout checked for the C-arm's use | Medical physicist |
| Quotes and verification | Compare configurations, review test records and recent images | You and the supplier |
| Order and freight | Crating, insured freight and a delivery date to El Paso | Supplier and carrier |
| Installation and arrival check | Setup, image quality and dose display check, DICOM connection | Service engineer, your IT team |
| Performance evaluation and registration | Equipment performance evaluation within 30 days of installation; DSHS registration | Physicist, radiation safety officer |
| Training and first cases | Operators trained on the specific unit and settings | Engineer, technologists, physicians |
Building this timeline before ordering avoids the most common delay for buyers far from the supplier: a machine that arrives before the room, the paperwork or the physicist is ready.
Questions to ask any seller
- What are the model, serial number, image receptor size and software version, in writing?
- Which parts were replaced, and can I see the test record for this unit?
- Can you send recent images or show the machine running on a live video call?
- How will it be crated and shipped to El Paso, and who inspects it on arrival?
- When can installation and the first service visit be scheduled?
- What warranty applies, and what does it cover?
What you can do before the machine arrives
- Clear the room and the delivery route, and measure doorways and turns for the C-arm and the workstation cart.
- Confirm a dedicated outlet of the type the manufacturer specifies.
- Gather network details for PACS so images can be sent on installation day.
- Order lead aprons, thyroid shields and dosimetry badges for the staff who will be in the room.
- Name the radiation safety officer and confirm operator credentials.
With these in place, installation day is spent checking the machine and training staff, not waiting for an electrician or a missing password.
If any step slips, move the first-case date rather than rushing the arrival check or the physicist's evaluation. A few extra days at the start cost far less than a cancelled list later.
We provide on-site service in El Paso, with visits scheduled in advance. Before the machine ships, agree the dates for installation, the equipment performance evaluation (performed by or under the supervision of a licensed medical physicist) and ongoing maintenance. We send the test record and service history with the machine and answer questions about the model by phone, Monday to Friday. To check current stock and plan delivery to El Paso, call (469) 767-8853 or send us a request.
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