Success stories from Portable X-ray users in hospitals

This week we have a guest post by Dr. Irving Thompson, who’s the Chief Hospital Radiologist at Sacred Heart hospital in Corpus Christi, TX. He’s been working in the field for over 23 years and has seen many innovations as well as new workflows over the years. This is a success story from Portable X-ray users in hospitals.

We recently installed a new portable X-Ray imaging system to enhance our care for patients in ER and other areas of the hospital. A lot of our hospital radiologists circled the wagons before settling on the Carestream mobile X-ray systems and their innovative products. We easily service about 100,000+ imaging exams per year.

It took us a while to select the perfect system for our facility partly because of some space constraints as some mobile systems have a tall column and can’t fit in smaller rooms or too large for bedside positioning. We ultimately agreed on the DRX-Revolution and DRX-1 detector. The new system enhances patient care because the DRX-1 detector produces high-resolution images in about five seconds. These images are sent to the hospital PACS so they can immediately be viewed by radiologists and other physicians.

Advanced software allows physicians to see a specialized view of the original X-ray image that shows placement of the tubes and lines that are often required by critically ill or injured patients.

Key Portable X-Ray system advantages, and it’s inner workings…

1. The system’s automatic collapsible column allows radiographers to see people and equipment when they are driving the machine from one location to another or positioning the system at the bedside. This offers both greater safety and convenience.
2. The extendable tube head is easy to control and move into place. This helps radiographers obtain correct positioning for the X-ray exam, which simultaneously enhances image quality.
3. The system has two touch screen displays: one is at the tube head and the other is a 19-inch monitor on the console. These displays are synchronized so that patient data and exam data are displayed on both screens. If radiographers need to adjust the exposure, they can do that at the tube head and do not need to move away from the patient. This enhances patient safety, in addition to making the imaging process easier for radiographers.
4. A dual motor drive makes it effortless for radiographers to move the system. The wheels also work independently so the system can make sharp turns and easily be maneuvered into tight spaces. It is perfect for portable X-ray users in hospitals.

Reliability goes hand-in-hand with excellent service

As with any portable X-ray imaging system, reliability is essential. We are pleased with the reliability of the DRX-Revolution, CARESTREAM CR systems and laser imaging systems we have used for many years. We couldn’t be any happier with our newest solution which was installed exclusively by DICOM Solutions. The staff always responds promptly to any service calls, even after hours or on holidays.