Agfa kicked off the first day of the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting this year with the launch of SmartXR, a solution designed to help radiographers capture quality images, while reducing their workload in the process and preventing common mistakes that lead to retakes.

“If you have less trained people, technology like SmartXR can help ensure good positioning, avoid retakes, and be sure that the image is really consistent with a good dose,” said Dr. Johan De May, chair of radiology at the University Hospital Brussels – UZ Brussel, during the virtual launch. “Technology like SmartAI can bring the solution there. In my opinion, in the future we will seek more AI and more comparisons of images, certainly in intensive care.”

SmartXR combines integrated sensors and cameras with AI software, 3D machine vision, deep learning and machine intelligence to help radiographers acquire quality images the first time around. It reduces the need for retakes through four main features:

• SmartPositioning: Utilizes smart overlays to create a live augmented view for positioning a patient correctly. It can be used remotely and augments the reality image to locate exposure detection cells. This enables it to control exposure and check if the lead shield is blocking the automatic exposure control, thereby avoiding retakes due to overexposure and patient movement.


• SmartAlign: Optimally aligns detector tube and panels, provides necessary recommendations


• SmartRotate: Uses a Deep Neural Net to interpret image content of a radiograph, to correctly rotate incoming images. This eliminates the need for manual post-processing and checking the detector’s orientation. Supports hands, feet, thorax and abdomen exams.


• SmartDose: uses 3D machine vision to determine the thickness of the patient and tailor exposure parameters specifically for a patient's anatomy

The SmartXR tools are available for use on the DR 600 ceiling-mounted X-ray room and the DR 100s mobile DR imaging solution for bedside imaging.