The turn of the century has brought disruptive technological changes to the medical industry. 3-D/4-D advanced visualization offered cutting-edge technology that introduced a new dimension of glitz to the radiology department. No hospital purchased a 64-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner without a 3-D workstation included.

Over the past decade, multiple-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners have transformed the imaging field. Systems such as the Toshiba Aquilion 64 provide physicians and patients with many diagnostic benefits, since they are a faster, less invasive modality for diagnosing various conditions.

A number of vendors offer digital radiography (DR) systems. They include the following:

Hospitals everywhere are starting to convert from computed radiography (CR) to digital radiography (DR) in order to achieve better image quality, improved productivity and higher patient output. While DR is infiltrating the radiography market, CR still dominates due to its lower price, portability and flexibility in retrofitting older X-ray equipment.

Lowering radiation dose and improving navigation abilities of angiography systems have been among the top priorities of manufacturers over the past year.