Digital has become the way of life. When all the imaging modalities have become digital, many hospitals today still are grappling with conventional x-ray systems. There are several alternatives in moving from analogue to digital with respect to conventional x-ray systems. It could be a simple scanner, digitizer, a CR or a DR system. One has to weigh a number of factors before choosing the correct option.

Acquisition
The core component of the Canon CXDI systems is the LANMIT (Large Area New Metal Insulator Semiconductor Sensor & TFT), a flat panel detector comprised of an amorphous silicon (A-Si) sensor and TFT array. Developed exclusively by Canon, the LANMIT is the product of industry-leading expertise with semiconductors and sensor manufacturing, and has been tested extensively to ensure maximum reliability. Canon DR cuts down the no. of steps involved in x-ray imaging. Canon DR allows you to get exceptional images with one of the fastest acquisition time possible.

Time to Image
Canon DR System allows incredible speed in acquiring the images ~ 3 seconds and the system is ready for next exposure within ~ 6 seconds. The speed of image acquisition lets you finish the procedure faster with patients spending less time in the x-ray room. For a busy imaging department that does more than 100 exposures, this type of faster imaging would mean higher throughput providing the scope to improve the numbers and profitability considerably.

Quality of Images
Canon DR delivers excellent quality of images with low dose every time. Canon technology directly captures and converts X-ray energy into a digital image. The unique signal profile produced by Canon technology results in high quality digital images across the full range of general radiographic exams - a necessity for the successful realization of an all-digital department.

This is achieved not only by the best resolution available today, but also by its outstanding dynamic range. It also eliminates the need for retakes as exposure error is virtually eliminated. The image presentation can be adjusted to the radiologists' requirements using numerous, advanced post processing parameters. Once preset, these need not be adjusted again. Images can be obtained at a lower dose owing to the higher detective quantum efficiency (DQE).1

On the display side, there are easy-to-use features for automatic image adjustment. Display Enhancement Processing, for example, adjusts contrast in the high- and lowdensity areas of an image to create more visible detail. This function is particularly useful with chest and abdominal images. Among the other processing features are image sharpening, grayscale transformation, and automatic adjustment of image size to the collimated area.

Connect with outside devices
Canon DR is a fully DICOM 3.0 compliant system. It provides interfacing with external devices and systems, for example:

• Software module for communicating information (such as patient, study info.) with HIS/RIS.*
• Communicate exposure information with X-ray generator. By eliminating the need to re-input the same date on Operation Unit and Generator console, the whole workflow can be improved.*
• Software to manage multiple CXDIs. It can apply the same parameter setting (master) for all CXDIs connected via network by using grouping method. The software shall be installed in a PC (24hr-running) connected with CXDIs via LAN. This software can be used for managing a single CXDI.*

Canon Customer Experience

Condition :

• Diesel engine is running
• Air conditioner is on
• Electric generator is on

Result : No image degeneration was found

User Experience with Canon CXDI Series

Kyoto University Hospital
In the internal discussion at the hospital before the installation, we thought the good chest image would be the very difficult to acquire in digital and it would take at least 3 years to accomplish it in stable condition.

But soon after the installation, the CXDI destroyed that preconception. We are impressed with the high quality of the image which was beyond our expectation. It was really a good misjudgment.

Dr. Kazuo Yoneda
Deputy Chief Radiologist
One of the reason we decided the Canon CXDI is its compact body comparing the other digital system we have ever seen because of its flat panel technology. Sometimes bulky system intimidates patients. We are impressed the image quality on the chest image which we thought very difficult to attain.

Ms. Kimbery Brichaek
(Technologist,The Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
It cuts down the repeats on patients. With conventional X-ray the way it is now, if images are too light or too dark, you have to go back to shoot another picture on extra dosage of patients. With this, you can just take the image and you can make it lighter or darker right on the screen. That’s the image that you will be sending to the doctor. And just by hitting the button, you can send it anywhere.

Professor K. Mathias
(M,D,Director of Diagnostic Radiology,Städtische Kliniken Dortmund)
Our experience with the Canon radiographic system is based on physical measurements with phantoms and more than thousand patients’ examinations. Without dealing that testing period, that the system as stay which quality at comparative study with conventional film screen as digital detected chest films show that there was no significant difference. All images are available within a few seconds as digital data founds which can be parted immediately. It can be saved to archive system founds and can be transmitted towards intensive care units, ambulances, and operation rooms. The management of radiological department and whole our hospital will be influenced simply by this technology.

Dr.William P. Shuman
(Medical Director,Diagnostic Imaging Evergreen Medical Center)
"At Evergreen Hospital in Redmond, Washington, when we first started using the Canon CXDI-11 digital radiography system, we found the smooth and quick installation was impressive. The interface to our dry laser camera worked without a problem. And since then the chest unit has had zero problems with no service requests, doing about 35-50 films per day. For imaging, the latitude of the system has been most impressive. Chest images simultaneously display the soft tissues of the axilla (even the hair!)and neck, the bony anatomy of both cervical and thoracic spine plus the ribs, the entire mediastinal contours including the retrocardiac region, while depicting minute lung parenchymal detail such as we have never seen before. For radiologists, this latitude presents new challenges: one must remember to carefully search all the soft tissues, bones, and mediastinum as well as the lungs since there is much more information displayed on each image. Initially, the lung interstitium was so well seen that we were overcalling interstitial fibrosis or edema. But we quickly realized that we were just seeing much more of the normal lung parenchyma than with any other system or technology. The ability for the technologists to optimize display window/level parameters before printing the film on the laser camera means that virtually every film has superb contrast - no films have the too-black or all-white lung appearance which is so hard to interpret. The rapid refresh and fast throughput are features we appreciate for our emergency room and hospitalized patients. We are now diverting all our outpatient chest imaging to the DR system as well because of it’s capability. I expected the direct digital system to improve the chest radiography, but this system is much more than an improvement – it is a whole new ball game. One thing is clear – we will never again buy a film/screen/cassette radiography system."

Dr. George E. Noujaim
(RT.ARRT Administrative Director,Radiology Huntington Memorial Hospital,Pasadena,CA)
Our primary motivation for buying PACS is to reduce film consumption and cost. Data communication between all of our imaging centers and the affiliated hospitals with southern California health systems, we reduce our operation budget and in position for future digital imaging modalities.

References:
1. Image quality and dose management in digital radiography: a new paradigm for optimization
H. P. Busch 1 and K. Faulkner 2 * Radiation Protection Dosimetry, doi:10.1093/rpd/nci728; Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access first published online on February 3, 2006