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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
08:30
X-ray Dose Reduction through Adaptive Exposure in Fluoroscopic Imaging
Published on: September 11, 2011
18.9K
[Radiation exposure from shoe-fitting fluoroscopes]
1Deutsches Roentgen-Museum, Schwelmer Str. 41, 42897 Remscheid, Germany.
Zeitschrift Fur Medizinische Physik
|July 16, 2014
Summary
German shoe shops no longer use shoe-fitting fluoroscopes, or Pedoskops, after a 1973 regulation prohibited their use. These popular X-ray devices were common in shoe businesses for decades.
Area of Science:
- Radiological health
- Medical device history
Context:
- Shoe-fitting fluoroscopes (Pedoskops) were widely used in German shoe shops from the 1930s until 1973.
- These X-ray devices allowed customers to view their feet inside shoes.
- Their use was prevalent in retail environments for decades.
Purpose:
- To explore the historical use and subsequent prohibition of shoe-fitting fluoroscopes in Germany.
- To document the disappearance of Pedoskops from the German retail landscape.
- To provide context on the regulatory changes impacting medical device usage.
Summary:
- Shoe-fitting fluoroscopes, also known as Pedoskops, were popular X-ray devices in German shoe stores for over 40 years.
- Their use was integral to shoe fitting practices until the enactment of the X-Ray Regulation (RöV) in 1973.
- The regulation led to the prohibition and disappearance of these devices from shoe businesses.
Impact:
- The prohibition of Pedoskops marked a significant shift in retail practices and radiation safety standards in Germany.
- This regulatory change highlights evolving public health concerns regarding unnecessary radiation exposure.
- The absence of these devices represents a historical footnote in consumer technology and radiological safety.
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