Carestream highlights DR cost-effectiveness

Sep 5, 2011

Carestream Health has published an economic analysis that shows replacing computed radiography (CR) systems with digital radiography (DR) can generate productivity and cost savings.

The analysis was conducted by London research firm Matrix Evidence using data from the radiology departments of Brighton and Sussex University NHS Trust. The analysis was commissioned by Carestream Health and utilized two analytic models, one for a conventional x-ray room and one for a mobile system.

The research demonstrated that adding DR detectors to existing CR capacity is the most affordable option, Carestream said.

Based on using an x-ray room with a Carestream DRX digital radiography system and a mobile unit equipped with a Carestream DRX Mobile Retrofit Kit, both used at 100% capacity, performing 10,057 and 4,830 procedures per year respectively, the following benefits could be achieved:

Per year	X-ray imaging results	Mobile unit
Reduction in radiographer time required	Up to 43%, or 664 hours	Up to 73%, or 1,124 hours
Radiographer cost savings	Up to 0.43 FTE savings, or up to 18,585 pounds (21,189 euros; $29,875 U.S.)	Up to 0.73 FTE savings, or up to 31,464 pounds savings (35,873 euros; $50,577 U.S.)
Additional procedures if "saved" radiographer time is used	7,543 procedures, or an increase in capacity of up to 75%	12,770 procedures, or an increase in capacity of up to 264%
Cost savings per room, accounting for cost of investment	10,453 pounds (11,918 euros or $16,803 U.S.)
Decreased cost of mobile unit		23,913 pounds (27,264 euros or $38,439 U.S.)

Carestream also noted DR detectors can reduce radiation dose and provide improved image quality compared with CR technology. The company said it has sold more than 2,500 digital detectors worldwide.