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Carestream Health, Inc., announced it has received regulatory approval from Health Canada for the mammography feature offered with its new Kodak DirectView Classic and Elite CR systems.

This approval will allow Canadian healthcare facilities to perform mammography exams with these versatile CR systems, which also can be used for general radiography, long-length and dental exams.

The Kodak DirectView CR Mammography Feature includes: two-up image printing aligned with the narrow chest wall; support for interfaces that expedite the exchange of image information with other vendors' digital mammography and RIS/PACS systems; and reduction of digital artifacts at the skin line.

The single-cassette Classic and Elite CR platforms deliver exceptional value by accepting standard Kodak DirectView CR cassettes and performing a wide range of exams that eliminates the need for additional CR units. The new Classic and Elite CR systems can also help improve productivity and workflow with automatic image rendering that eliminates the need for technologists to identify each exam projection and by allowing users to create customized settings for image presentation (by exam type/body part), which reduces the need for radiologists to make adjustments.

These systems incorporate Carestream Health's new CR operating software that includes new Kodak DirectView EVP Plus Image Processing Software. The new image processing software expands image presentation options by allowing parameters such as contrast and brightness to be adjusted independently and by enabling user-customized image presentation. The software processes multiple exposures on a single cassette independently, automatically identifies multiple radiation fields in an image and applies masking so that each field is processed and rendered as a unique image. Images are automatically rendered without the need for technologists to identify body part or projection information to speed workflow and reduce the possibility for errors.

Other new features include the ability to make adjustments to zoomed images and improved connectivity with other devices.

The new Classic and Elite CR systems are designed for hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, multi-specialty clinics and private practices. The Elite CR system offers a throughput of up to 98 cassettes per hour, which includes loading, scanning, erasing and ejecting a 35 x 43 cm cassette. The Classic CR system features throughput of up to 68 cassettes an hour for a 35 x 43 cm cassette.

Both platforms accept Kodak DirectView CR cassettes and phosphor screens in the following sizes: 18 x 24 cm, 24 x 30 cm, 35 x 35 cm, 35 x 43 cm, 15 x 30 cm and 35 x 84 cm.

The user interface display and PC are separate from the CR reader so users can choose from several flat panel monitor displays and mounting options.