April 27, 2016 — Ashley County Medical Center, Crossett, Ark., is the first hospital in the United States to install Carestream’s DRX-Excel Plus radiography/fluoroscopy (R/F) system. The medical center is a critical access hospital that serves one of the largest counties in Arkansas, encompassing more than 940 square miles.
"The DRX-Excel Plus system is an important tool for evaluating patients who may be critically ill or seriously injured. Its ability to provide X-ray imaging studies and fluoroscopy exams allows our physicians to rapidly assess each patient’s condition and prepare them for transport to higher-level hospitals if needed," said Phillip Gilmore, the hospital’s chief executive officer.
The center’s emergency department treats an average of 750 patients a month. Purchasing this system was part of the hospital’s transition to the latest generation of imaging equipment, which included a Carestream DRX-Evolution and a DRX-Revolution mobile X-ray imaging system.
“We upgraded our aging systems to deliver rapid access to high-resolution images, as well as advanced capabilities that reduce patient dose, enhance productivity and offer an efficient user interface. We worked with our local dealer, Southeast Imaging, to evaluate systems from several different providers,” Gilmore reported. “We selected Carestream imaging systems because of their excellent design, consistent user interface and outstanding capabilities. We have also been very pleased with Carestream’s installation and user training as well as their service and support.”
Productivity-enhancing capabilities offered by the DRX-Excel Plus include a positioning pedal that allows the operator to have their hands free, which is helpful for interventional exams, and a remote control that can move the table from anywhere in the room. The system offers an ergonomic design and can perform contrast exams using fluoroscopy that can be associated with a radiography image, in addition to specialized contrast procedures that record both fluoroscopy and radiography sequences and interventional procedures. An elevating table tilts for fluoroscopy exams and can be lowered or raised to provide flexible, comfortable imaging for patients with limited mobility including wheelchair patients.
A DRX-Evolution system facilitates capture of advanced imaging exams, including cross-table lateral and other complex exams. “The system’s auto-tracking feature moves the X-ray tube into position for each exam, which allows a technologist to capture images in seconds. Seriously ill or injured patients can be imaged in wheelchairs or on stretchers, which eliminates the painful process of moving them to a table,” reported Ronnie Dillion, the hospital’s radiology director. He added that the DRX-Revolution enhances the speed and quality of all mobile imaging exams and completes the facility’s transition from CR to DR technology.
All three imaging systems use Carestream DRX Plus 3543C cesium iodide detectors, which offer excellent image quality and extremely low dose. In addition, these detectors can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes without failure, which achieves IPX Level 7 rating for liquid resistance. A reduced weight and thinner profile allow even easier handling. These detectors also deliver faster calibration time, boot time, preview time and full-resolution display time, as well as increased battery life to enable more imaging between battery changes.
Every Carestream DRX detector can be shared with any member of its extensive family of DRX imaging systems.
For more information: www.carestream.com
July 18, 2024 
