C-Arm Oil Leak: Diagnosis and Next Steps

So, you've got a puddle of oil under your C-arm and you're wondering where it came from. Fortunately, there are only a few places on a C-arm that will leak oil. To help you get the quickest resolution, we'll share the potential culprits and how you can know which of them is most likely your problem.

Oil Beneath the C

If you found the puddle beneath the C-shaped portion, or gantry, of your system, the oil is most likely leaking from inside your X-ray tube. The oil inside your tube housing is there to help cool the anode of the tube, which gets hot during X-ray production. As your oil leak continues, the cooling efficiency of the tube will decrease and the likelihood of damage will increase. 

Oil Beneath the System Body

If your puddle is beneath the body of the system, the oil is most likely leaking from the HV tank, a vital component in powering your imaging chain. Like the tube, an ongoing oil leak will allow damage to your tank and eventually cause it to fail.

"Oil" Along/Beneath the Vertical Lift Column

Sometimes a puddle on or near a C-arm isn't exactly oil. Grease is applied along the vertical lift to prevent it from squeaking and suffering undue friction during use. If the lift is getting too hot, the grease can melt and drip down. Your C-arm should not be getting this hot. Melted grease points to other issues deeper in the mechanics of the lift.

There is also a motor at the bottom of the vertical lift that is, in some models, filled with oil. This is rare and, unless you know for certain that your model has it, probably not the case.

The Next Step

In all of these cases, there is a high likelihood that the leaking component will need to be seriously adjusted or replaced. Adjusting or replacing any of these components is highly involved and best performed by a qualified engineer.

The good news is, if you can use the information above to help your engineer diagnose the problem in advance, they can arrive with the right parts on the first trip and you'll stand to save your facility a lot of downtime, money, and frustration. Whether you need parts, a service engineer, or both, our Service and Parts Teams are ready to help. Use the buttons below to let us know what you need.