As of June, Rochester, N.Y.-based Carestream Health, Inc. has brought the mobile DRX-retrofit kit to the market, which lets health care providers upgrade selected mobile X-ray systems to wireless digital radiography machines.

"Customers are clamoring for this kit because it enables them to quickly and affordably convert CR-based portable X-ray systems to wireless DR. There's no more lugging CR cassettes to the processor and back to patients," says Eileen Heizyk, Carestream's worldwide marketing manager of digital capture solutions. "It allows them to move into digital radiography without having to make an entirely new purchase. It's a very economical way to upgrade to digital radiography."


This wireless DR system can help increase on-site productivity and deliver immediate access to images for improved patient care, particularly for critically ill patients in emergency rooms, operating rooms and the intensive care unit.

"There is a great deal of interest from the bigger hospitals that have more mobile units, but we have had an interest from smaller sites too, who really want to extend the life of the system they have," Heizyk says. "They will be in trauma centers, big ICUs, emergency rooms; there are no tethers or cords or wires, so it's in a better position to be in a sterile environment."

Currently, the kits are compatible with GE's AMX-4 and AMX-4 Plus, and Siemens' Mobilett Plus, Mobilett XP and Mobilett XP Hybrid.

"It works with GE and Siemens, which represents a large market share," Heizyk says. "Not only does it make imaging in the mobile environment easier, it allows you to use a detector in a room if you have the DRX system. It's really maximizing how much you can use it."

Money matters

Of course, when a health care facility is considering making the switch, it needs to factor in that it is moving from a system that is below $50,000 to one that will run greater than $200,000.

"Usually when customers work out the financials for digital, they make sense, at least at high-volume facilities," says Fabian. "When you consider the image quality and efficiency benefits...there is a desire and need for it. When you move your department to digital, you are married to it."

Although money does seem to be freeing up this year for many hospitals, after an 18-month capital freeze by many, some in the industry are concerned that it might not help the sector too much.




"One challenge is simply our customer prioritization of capital spending and where they are prioritizing," says Philips' Neukirch. "Funds may not be in the X-ray realm and that's a general concern we have."

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