Studies Confirm Agfa HealthCare's DX-S CR System Delivers High Quality Results With Reduced X-ray Dose

Main Category: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 14 Nov 2008 - 4:00 PST

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Two recent independent studies have confirmed that Agfa HealthCare's pioneering DX-S offline detector system delivers high quality diagnostic exposures with significantly reduced patient exposure dose. A study by the University Clinical Center of Giessen and Marburg in Germany evaluated the dose and quality performance of Agfa HealthCare's DX-S system, compared to the performance of a 400 speed class screen/film system. The study involved 200 thoracic exposures from children (1). The second study, by the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, covered larger children and adolescents and exposures using a chest phantom (2). The results were evaluated by five investigators. Both studies concluded that with Agfa HealthCare's DX-S system the dose could be reduced by up to 50 percent, without reducing the diagnostic quality.

"These are exciting results for us," states Iskandar Accaoui, Global Manager of the Digital Radiography Business Unit at Agfa HealthCare. "We have always known that our DX-S system has the capability to significantly reduce exposure dose. These studies reinforce the efforts of our research teams to deliver not only technologically-pioneering digital radiography solutions, but also systems that offer a clear benefit to the patient."

Agfa HealthCare's advanced DX-S system is a groundbreaking system that has created a new threshold in Digital Radiography. It includes DirectriX™ needle-based detector technology, that offers increased image quality and potential for X-ray patient dose reduction, and Scanhead™ technology for reduced waiting times. The system fills the gap in the current range of Digital Radiography Solutions, by providing a unique combination of image quality, speed and flexibility that exceeds traditional Computed Radiography (CR) solutions. It is used in environments where patient comfort, exam speed and imaging flexibility are of paramount importance. The DX-S is a leading alternative to DR (Direct Radiography) in all of the environments listed. It provides the flexibility and economical advantages of CR, with the quality of DR.

About the Agfa-Gevaert Group

The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading imaging and information technology companies. The Agfa-Gevaert Group develops, manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), the healthcare sector (Agfa HealthCare) and film-related products and specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). The Agfa-Gevaert Group has its headquarters in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries throughout the world. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 3,401 million Euro in 2006.

About Agfa HealthCare

Agfa HealthCare, a member of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, is a leading provider of IT-enabled clinical workflow and image management solutions, and state-of-the-art systems for capturing, processing and printing images in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The company has over a century of experience in diagnostic imaging and has been a pioneer on the healthcare IT market since the early 1990's. Agfa HealthCare today employs 5,700 staff members, with sales offices and representatives in over 100 markets worldwide. Sales for Agfa HealthCare in 2006 were 1,452 million Euros, accounting for 43% of total group sales.

References

(1) For more detailed information on this study, refer to: G. Alzen, K. Beiderwellen, M. Volz, M. Fiebich, Vergleichende Beurteilung von Dosis und Bildqualität eines konventionellen 400er Film-Folien-Systems mit einem digitalen Speicherfoliensystem an Hand von Thoraxaufnahmen im Kindesalter

(2) For more detailed information on this study, refer to: J.-P. Heyne, H.-J. Mentzel, R. Neumann, E. Lopatta, U. Zimmermann, W. A. Kaiser, Phantomuntersuchung zur Strahlendosisreduktion mittels neuer, auf Nadelstruktur basierender Speicherfolienradiografie und Zusatzfilterung in der Thoraxradiografie bei Jugendlichen und gröeren Kindern

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