Digital CR solutions help
Indiana hospital maintain
century of service excellence

By Terril Cook, Digital Imaging Sales Specialist, Agfa HealthCare

Radiologists now work more efficiently and diagnose with greater confidence at an Indiana hospital thanks to next generation Computed Radiography (CR) solutions

Founded over one century ago, this large Indiana hospital has earned respect for its cardiac, cancer, pediatric and emergency services as well as its certification for stroke treatment by America's Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Facilities. Its radiology department conducts 70 percent of its chest X-rays on neonates using advanced imaging software and low-dose plates.

The journey to install new CR solutions began when the Director of Radiology Services for the hospital was looking to replace the current end-of-life and end-of-lease CR systems throughout their network of five hospitals and affiliated clinics.

The director assembled a 10-member team of radiology services directors, operations managers and technologists from five network hospitals to begin searching for a solution that met their radiologic needs. Among technologies being considered were Agfa HealthCare's CR solutions.

The search committee chose Agfa HealthCare's CR solutions based on a number of dimensions including image quality, dose reduction, ease of use, pricing and training that could be completed within a short timeframe.

Implementation and Results
The hospital was given a head start to the implementation process with demo units of the DX-G, a primary high-end CR unit, and the CR 30-X, a tabletop CR solution for radiology departments with moderate-to-low volume, before the team made its final decision.

The CR units' ability to connect to the hospital's PACS and RIS within just one day convinced the director of radiology and his team of the company's promise of ease of use, connectivity and trouble-free deployment.

Use of the DX-G's needle-based detector and powder phosphor plates has already improved image quality and lowered doses in the short period following implementation. Within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the DX-G reduced radiation dose by more than 70 percent in the first day, setting the stage for premature babies to get chest X-rays each day for two to three months with lower radiation exposure than with the hospital's prior solutions. The technology has also produced a 20 to 30 percent reduction in adult radiation dose.

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