While most hospitals would like to convert to digital radiography (DR) in an ideal world, the reality is that, unless there is the budget and infrastructure in place to do so, this it is simply not possible for many.
For those who choose to stay with CR; it is reassuring to know the Fujifilm still supplies and support a full range of solutions.
After being the first to bring CR technology to market in 1983, Fujifilm Computed Radiography (FCR) now has tens of thousands of installations worldwide and remains a popular system.
Wexham Park Hospital found Fujifilm was able to offer a comprehensive solution for replacing its old and unreliable CR equipment.
After a site visit to a nearby hospital; Kerry Rogers, lead radiographer for generals, was impressed by the speed and image quality of the FCR readers.
Wexham Park, which has sites across Berkshire including Slough, Ascot, Windsor and Bracknell, selected four FCR Profect CS Plus multi-plate readers for the high throughput needed in their main viewing areas and six FCR Capsula XL II single plate readers for its overflow rooms and smaller sites.
“The size of the readers was also an important factor in our selection” said Rogers.
“We wanted to create some space in our viewing areas so having more-compact readers was essential.
“The Console Advance workstations are so easy to use and because they all talk to the Profect CS Plus readers we can maximise the use of all our readers at very-busy times.
“Having the Capsula XL II in the overflow room means we are far more efficient in there too – previously we had to process images in the main viewing area around the corner. Now we don’t have to leave patients alone in the x-ray room while we process and check the images.”
“We have seen a big improvement in image quality and throughput, meaning we are able to image more patients in the same amount of time.
“On average we are completing approximately 14,000 exposures a month at Wexham Park, which is a significant increase over what we could achieve previously.“