Imaging Technology News 9/08

Technology Overview CR or DR in the ER? CR/DR DR-1 continued from page 1 The debate over CR and DR systems intensifies with portability and mammography features. By Cristen C. Bolan puted radiography systems. It requires no modifications to existing analog equipment and a healthcare facility can utilize one detector for all types of exams. Carestream said the DR-1 system delivers fully processed, high-quality preview images in just three seconds, which significantly improves productivity, even for users of computed radiography (CR) systems. Because this DR detector is a wireless cassette, it provides flexible positioning that enhances both efficiency and patient comfort, according to the company. The detector can be used wherever it is needed — in the wallstand bucky, table bucky or for tabletop shots and other difficult views. With a weight of 8.5 pounds, the detector is up to 30 percent lighter and up to 50 percent smaller than many other portable detectors. Carestream Health Inc. www.carestreamhealth.com www.frost.com he conversion of a radiology department from film to digital, accompanied by the adoption of a new PACS, often sparks the debate over whether to purchase a computed radiography system (CR) or digital radiography system (DR). For many medical facilities, CR is more appealing in large part due to its portability and lower ticket price compared to DR. Plus, purchasing a CR eliminates the cost of renovating the X-ray room or retrofitting the equipment. However, the argument in favor of DR technology — that it facilitates higher patient throughput and provides better image quality — is causing many hospitals to consider purchasing a DR system for the emergency room (ER). While CR continues to dominate the general radiography market, recent technical advances in DR technology promise to give CR a run for its money. T CR is Slick Many hospitals initially converted from film screen to CR because it is cheaper than DR and they can simply retrofit their old X-ray equipment using CR cassettes. “CR is very slick. The cassette is key,” noted Todd Minnigh, worldwide director of marketing, digital radiography, Carestream Health. And in an emergency department setting, cassettes are critical for providing flexibility, allowing clinicians to capture images in hard-to-reach angles. At Rush Health Systems, clinicians use the 350 and Xpress CR systems by Konica Minolta for every “plain X-ray exam, including chest X-rays, abdomen, hand and feet,” explained Jamie Feasel, the ER radiology manager. “We may need to shoot angles or go to the patient’s room when it is a serious trauma where the patient is too critical to go to our X-ray department. With the CR we can use our regular portable equipment that every hospital has and still have the benefits of the digital radiography,” said Feasel. “We have the 350 CR chest stand that is like a DR system and is really convenient when we have a lot of chest X-rays or a lot of abdomen X-rays and even for some ambulatory patients. It is really nice with the 350 chest X-ray to be able to do chest X-rays really quickly, and when you have 20 patients waiting to be done, every second counts.” Address Medical Imaging Growth Opportunities The medical imaging industry is at a historic crossroads. While growth has slowed in many core imaging markets due to regulatory changes, developments in information technology are driving technical and workflow innovations to create new opportunities. Is your company positioned to take advantage of these opportunities for growth? Frost & Sullivan’s Imaging Group provides market intelligence and strategic consulting that enable our clients to take advantage of the best growth opportunities in the diagnostic, medical, informatics, and molecular imaging markets. To find out how you can take advantage of these growth opportunities, contact Sara Villarruel at sara.villarruel@frost.com. More Portable and Affordable The big advantage of DR over CR has The FCR Go portable digital X-ray system by FUJIFILM Medical adds to been improved productivity and higher the flexibility of CR use. image quality. However, these attributes are often outweighed by another consideration – cost. One of the biggest challenges of investing in a DR system is having the appropriate infrastructure to install it, or in many cases an existing room has to be renovated to accommodate a new system. Manufacturers have tried to work around these obstacles by developing portable DR systems. A portable DR would not require stripping out existing film or CR rooms. However, if CR scanners are getting smaller, less-expensive and more portable, then how would portable DR have an advantage, both clinically and economically, over the portable CR? This is the question Charles E. Willis, Ph.D., DABR, University of Texas CR or DR continued on page 38 36 | ITN | September 2008 | ITNonline.net http://www.carestreamhealth.com http://www.frost.com http://www.frost.com http://www.frost.com http://www.ITNonline.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Imaging Technology News 9/08

Imaging Technology News 9/08 Contents IGRT How IGRT Targets the Prostate ASTRO Oncology Information Management Systems (OIMS) Imaging Leading the Intense Race Against Cancer SBRT - The New Treatment of Choice Top IMRT/IGRT Centers to Watch Molecular Imaging: Ready for the Limelight CR or DR in the ER? Have You Hit the Glass Ceiling?

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