by
Lauren Dubinsky, Senior Reporter | November 17, 2016
From the November 2016 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
First long-length DR detector
Also at the RSNA 2015 annual meeting, Fujifilm introduced its FDR D-EVO GF detector. The company says it’s the world’s first long-length DR detector, and it’s a major breakthrough for pediatric, scoliosis and leg imaging as well as spine work. Between 70 percent and 75 percent of the hospitals in the U.S. do long-length imaging and many of them have held onto their CR technology because of that, says Rob Fabrizio, director of strategic marketing for digital X-ray and women’s health at Fujifilm.
“Even many of the hospitals that have converted completely over to DR have held onto their CR long-length cassettes because of the benefits of low-dose single exposure,” he adds. With this new detector, facilities are able to perform DR with a single exposure, which was something that was not possible before. Previously, the only way to do long-length imaging with DR was to acquire multiple exposures, and that takes more time to set up and acquire the image.
“That’s more chances for patient movement, more time for the patient to remain still, and if that patient is in pain or just came out of surgery, that’s a patient comfort issue,” says Fabrizio. When the detector is combined with Fujifilm’s new Virtual Grid Software, it can lower dose by as much as 50 percent. That’s especially important for pediatric patients and those who have to undergo these exams routinely. In October, Fujifilm started taking orders for the FDR D-EVO GF detectors and this month it is beginning to ship the first orders.
Is this the end of CR?
“Even the rural hospitals right now are in transition to DR,” says MD Buyline’s Williams. “The doctors who work with DR technology like it better. It’s a quicker image, it has better image quality, it involves less radiation to the patient, it’s easier and accessible and it requires less time to actually do the procedure. With CMS aside, the doctors want it.”
From 2006 to early 2009, 55 percent of the market was interested in DR and 45 percent in CR, according to ECRI. But from 2015 to 2016, 90 percent of the market was interested in DR and only 10 percent in CR. However, Launders believes that CR is still going to have its place in the low-end market because DR is never going to be an option for some sites. Those facilities will have to withstand the reimbursement cuts and make up the costs another way.
“We’ve talked to some small clinics that are pretty low volume and they say that they are going to stick with the CR as long as they can,” says Rachael Bennett, clinical analyst at MD Buyline. “When the reimbursement cuts are enough and it doesn’t justify the cost for them to do it anymore, then they are going to start outsourcing to another image center for those exams.”
Back to HCB News
David Shipp
lower radiation HMMM
November 18, 2016 11:20
If by lower doses you mean there is less chance that repeats will be made, then yes, in that case you can claim lower dose. Any one who has installed and set up a CR system knows that you will need a higher technique than with film, to get quality images. The rest of your statements are true.
to rate and post a comment