Benefits of Computed and Digital Radiography

X-Rays are used as imaging techniques for more than a century. With the advancement of technology in other fields of sciences, conventional radiography also matured into computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography(DR), which are more versatile and adapted all over the world.

In conventional radiography X-Ray machine and a radioactive isotopes are used for capturing the images of internal organs on radiographic films. These films are developed into images in dark room. In case of computed radiography cassettes containing imaging plates made of Phosphor are used, whereas in digital radiography images are captured directly on the flat panel detectors. Two methods of DR detectors are available today. They are direct and indirect conversion detectors. Both of them show greater quality and dose reduction options. CR and DR produce equally accurate images, even though CR is older than DR. CR and DR techniques are gaining more clinical acceptance because of the wider scope over conventional technologies.

Some of the unique advantages of new techniques are:

• Greater image quality and faster results.
• Accurate detectability of smaller defects.
• Economical due to the reduced film costs as the data is stored digitally.
• Portable and mobile systems for bed side use and intensive care rooms.
• Provides options for dose reduction wherever necessary.
• New technology also offers storage possibilities of the data and images.
• Possibility of wireless transfer of data.

So we can conclude that CR and DR are more favoured clinically though conventional radiology is used even today for some specific requirements.