Image courtesy of Agfa Healthcare
November 24, 2015 — Agfa HealthCare is showcasing the workflow and productivity benefits of its DR 400 direct radiography (DR) solution at the 2015 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting. The flexible, floor-mounted DR 400 is easy to install, takes little space and requires no expensive ceiling structure.
The DR 400 offers hospitals a scalable, customizable and affordable way to go digital at their own pace and budget. Easy to install and requiring little room, it includes solid, German-manufactured components and a range of options. The many different configurations allow the hospital to choose where it will start — whether immediately implementing a full DR solution, or with a cassette-based computed radiography (CR) solution they can then evolve to cassette-less DR when they are ready.
The DR 400 includes features that support the radiology department to improve workflow and productivity. These features include:
MUSICA workstation
The MUSICA workstation included with the DR 400 has been developed with the technologist in mind and offers a broad array of benefits. Using the touch screen, the technologist can complete standard tasks quickly and flexibly, while the intuitive interface makes accessing the features easy, enhancing efficiency.
The DR 400 also includes next-generation MUSICA image processing. This intelligent image processing software eliminates the need to spend time adjusting window level, for faster image delivery as well as faster image reading by the radiologist.
According to Agfa, the MUSICA workstation offers excellent interoperability and easy connectivity with other systems within the hospital (radiology and hospital information systems, picture archiving and communication systems, imagers), including support of the IHE Radiation Exposure Monitoring (REM) profile.
10-inch tube head display
The tube head display acts as an extension of the MUSICA workstation, allowing the technologist to adapt certain settings directly in the room, near the patient. This includes viewing and adjusting generator settings, e.g. for heavier or lighter patients. The technologist can see and change the sequence of exposures on the display, without going back and forth to the control room. A green status bar lets the technologist know when the system is ready for the next exposure, while a red status bar indicates the need to make a correction. Overall, the technologist can spend more time with the patient, while speeding up the examination process.
Ergonomic design
The DR 400 has been designed to improve ease of use and productivity. Automatic cassette size sensing controls the automatic collimator and speeds up workflow, while detector movement handles on both sides of the wall stand enhance convenience. Thanks to the rotating bucky, the detector does not have to be taken out of the bucky each time, and the image format can be switched from landscape to portrait more quickly. The collimator light control on the wall stand can be operated on both sides, while horizontal and vertical tracking speeds up the correct positioning of the patient. The result is a shorter exam time, for greater throughput and patient satisfaction.
For more information: www.agfahealthcare.com