Hospitals and imaging centers haven't exactly rushed to embrace digital radiography, but purchasing activity does appear to be building. At this year's RSNA meeting, look for x-ray vendors to highlight new versions of their digital offerings that expand the functionality, affordability, and appeal of the systems. You'll also see several new companies, such as Edge Medical of Hackensack, NJ, entering the digital fray with some novel solutions.
Most of the work so far in digital x-ray has focused on static studies. At this year's conference, vendors will begin to show progress in tackling the next step in flat-panel digital x-ray -- dynamic fluoroscopy studies. It will be several years before most vendors will be able to bring flat-panel fluoroscopy systems to market, however.
Agfa
Agfa will be emphasizing the improved workflow benefits of computed radiography, thanks to the distributed software functions of its CR systems, according to the Ridgefield Park, NJ-based firm. Work-in-progress developments shown at last year's RSNA meeting (new scanhead and needle storage phosphor technology) will also be showcased again this year. In addition, Agfa will tout the integration benefits of its CR readers, including connectivity to non-Agfa printers and PACS networks.
Agfa entered the DR marketplace in 2000, thanks to an alliance with Canon Medical Systems. In its RSNA booth, Agfa will display Thorax DR, both as a stand-alone product and integrated with the vendor's Basix entry-level PACS software and Drystar 3000 printer.
Del Medical Systems Group
Del recently took over the RadView x-ray line from Marconi Medical Systems of Cleveland, and will be debuting RadView products at RSNA under the Del label. The RadView family is designed primarily for hospital use, and promises a higher throughput than other comparable systems, according to the company.
The Deer Park, NY, company will also show products from the three divisions under its corporate umbrella: DynaRad, Gendex, and Villa Sistemi Medicali.
Eastman Kodak Health Imaging
Following up on its entry into the DR marketplace at the 1999 RSNA meeting, Kodak is announcing the availability of its two amorphous selenium-based DR systems, DirectView DR 9000 and DirectView DR 5000. DR 9000 is suitable for general radiography and trauma applications, while DR 5000 is designed for chest and other upright exams, according to the Rochester, NY-based firm.
Kodak also said that hundreds of customers worldwide have purchased its single-cassette DirectView CR 800 system, which began shipping this summer. CR 800 combines a storage phosphor reader, QA workstation, patient/cassette/exam ID, and image processing software into a footprint of just 25 x 29 inches, according to Kodak.
On November 7, RealTimeImage said that Kodak will integrate RTI's iPACS medical application software into Kodak's Distributed Medical Imaging systems. Two days later, Kodak announced an agreement to buy computed radiography and film digitizer provider Lumisys.
Edge Medical
Edge will make its RSNA debut with a new flat-panel detector approach called scanned matrix array readout technology (SMART). SMART replaces the complex and costly active-matrix arrays used by other detectors, according to the Hackensack, NJ-based firm. Edge's detectors, which will be available at prices similar to CR systems, will be distributed as retrofits to existing radiography equipment and for integration by OEMs into new DR systems, according to the firm.
Fischer Imaging
Denver-based Fischer will launch VersaRad, a new flat-panel digital x-ray system based on the company's older Traumex unit, according to Ken Crocker, director of marketing. VersaRad employs a U-arm design that enables it to image patients on tables and stretchers. It is capable of a full range of radiography imaging, including chest studies, Crocker said. Fischer sources its digital flat-panel arrays from Hologic subsidiary Direct Radiography Corp. of Newark, DE.
Fujifilm Medical Systems USA
The granddaddy of CR, Fujifilm Medical Systems USA of Stamford, CT, is planning to introduce a new product on the first day of the meeting. Although company officials declined to offer specifics prior to the show, they claim the product will rival the importance of Fuji's Synapse PACS introduction three years ago.
GE Medical Systems
GE plans to highlight a number of studies produced by radiologists using the firm's digital x-ray systems. So far investigators using GE's four flat-panel digital x-ray products have published more than 100 scientific papers, and another 26 will be presented at the RSNA show, according to Scott Schubert, GE's manager of global x-ray research.
GE's flat-panel product line includes the Revolution XQ/i dedicated chest system, Revolution XR/d multipurpose x-ray room, Innova 2000 cardiovascular unit, and Senographe 2000D mammography unit. Revolution XR/d is the newest of the bunch, with shipments starting just two months ago, Schubert said. The system is available in a single-detector model with the panel incorporated into a table, and in a dual-detector version, with a second panel added to a chest stand in the room.
A new dual-energy mode for the Revolution systems will be shown as a work in progress, Schubert said. Wakeusha, WI-based GE believes the technique could improve pulmonary nodule detection by making it possible to visualize nodules that might have been obscured by bone on normal chest x-rays.
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Agfa through GE
Hitachi through Quantum
Shimadzu through Vidar
