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Healthcare providers across Europe are choosing Carestream Health 's CARESTREAM DRX-1 detectors to improve workflow and image quality 

A growing number of healthcare providers across Europe are choosing to install the innovative Carestream Health 's CARESTREAM DRX-1 System to solve workflow and productivity challenges. Since its introduction in 2009, the affordable price point of this new technology and its ability to utilise existing X-ray systems has led to in excess of 200 units being successfully installed and operational across Europe.
   
Development of the system has also been recognised by leading global research company Frost & Sullivan with the presentation to Carestream Health of the 2010 Europe New Product Innovation Award in the Digital Radiography Market.

Austria

Dr Günther Nics was the first radiologist in Austria to be convinced by the advantages of the DRX-1 System for his clinic in Hollabrunn, where the team of 12 staff and 2 doctors care for around 25,000 patients annually, performing approximately 70,000 exams. Following the introduction of the DRX-1 imaging is now substantially quicker and easier. “The fact that the cassette, the technologist and the patient are in contact with each other throughout the whole process, including checking the image, is a great step forward,” said Dr Nics.

A further advantage experienced by Dr Nics has been an improvement in image quality, “The resolution in the new system is definitely better,” he added. Together with the new reader and processing software, we feel this represents a qualitative leap in image presentation.”

Also in Austria, a DRX1 has been installed in the Rudolf Foundation Clinic in Vienna, where it is used for examinations of the abdomen and urinary tract, urological stone centre, general internal and surgical imaging as well as bedside lung and individual skeletal imaging. Dr Dimiter Tscholakoff led the move towards the DRX-1 with the aim of prolonging the service life of existing systems whilst meeting the specific need to both improve workflow and maintain quality. ““We opted for the DRX-1 in order to improve workflow and image quality and we have succeeded,” Dr Tscholakoff noted. “We have been able to increase productivity and shorten patient examination times for the benefit of all.” Besides enhancing quality, the DRX-1 system also has the advantage of shortening examination time from two minutes to 17 seconds, a particular benefit to patients from the intensive care unit.

France   

The  Centre Hospitalier de Decize is situated 30 km from Nevers in the Nievre region of France and the hospital has been operating a DRX-1 System for several months.

Ms Herzog-Prunet, Medical Technical Manager of the Radiology Department outlines the system’s advantages. “All our radiology is digitised today, image quality has been improved and the patient dose reduced, but what is most impressive is the global increase in work, particularly in the Orthopaedic Unit. The DRX-1 has really boosted the number of examinations in this room, which is definitely down to not having to transport any cassettes but also to the pre-visualisation function which makes it possible to check the plate after just a few seconds. This saves precious time, particularly without a fluoroscope and is a significant factor in improving patient comfort, something that is paramount for our patient recruitment which consists mainly of orthopaedic examinations for elderly patients.”

Belgium

  The ImaginX practice owned by Dr Hustinx is located in Waterloo, near Brussels and conducts approximately 250 examinations each week, a third of which are mammograms. Installation of the DRX-1 has enabled Dr Hustinx to optimise workflow, particularly with regard to the examinations carried out on the remote controlled digitiser and mammography unit. The DRX-1 enabled transformation of the digitiser into a flat panel detector without any great investment enabling the CR reader to be moved to the mammography unit.

“The DRX-1 has fulfilled all its promises. Installing it into the remote controlled digitiser took no time at all,” commented Dr Hustinx. “I had anticipated a month of working in parallel with the CR reader but, in the end, we took the reader out of the unit and put it next to the mammography unit after just two days.

“The outcome is extremely positive because, thanks to the DRX-1, we have been able to improve the quality of the images and lower the radiation dose at the same time. Moreover, we have increased our productivity in the remote controlled unit by about 30% thanks to no longer having to handle cassettes when the CR reader was in the unit.”
   
The CARESTREAM DRX-1 System is the industry’s first wireless, cassette-size DR detector that can be employed in all applications where a 35 x 43 cm (14 x 17 inch) X-ray cassette would be used. This means it can be easily incorporated into all types of radiology environments and does not require modification of existing rooms. The DRX-1 system will deliver high quality preview images in about five seconds and its compact size and light weight further enhance convenience and throughput.

Source: Carestream Health