New Xray Developer - what should I get?

RE: New Xray Developer - what should I get?

Alistair Graham-Evans — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:01:04 GMT

If considering Agfa pay a little more for CR30

When doing a locum I discovered that the CR15 is nasty in comparison

We have been happy with our CR30 for 12 years- fast enough and superb image quality

I would get a separate dental CR unit - pays for itself quickly

RE: New Xray Developer - what should I get?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 18:03:17 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/diagnostic-imaging/f/discussions/29736/new-xray-developer---what-should-i-get/229292#229292"]Just for clarity though, I suspect you have a dedicated CR system for dental plates, while I was meaning that CR systems designed for very large plates primarily, but also able to take dental films perhaps don't have great quality on the dental ones (in comparison to dedicated dental units)?[/quote]

No no, my CR system is the old CR35V, looks like a big blue doughnut. Positively ancient (the hell of being an early adopter). Not dedicated to dental "films" at all but you can feed dental sizes through it.

Recently my DR system was out of action for computery reasons, and we happily used the CR35. It's just a bit time-consuming if you are doing a full-mouth survey...

[quote userid="12930" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/diagnostic-imaging/f/discussions/29736/new-xray-developer---what-should-i-get/229292#229292"]A kind gentleman from Burtons is going to send me some images taken with the CR Smart (AGFA CR15) which is the one with the magnetic bits in cassette to allow use of smaller dental CR films in main developer i think, so I guess I'll see what those look like (not that I'm an expert...)[/quote]

I see no reason why the images from that should be of inferior quality.

Which is perfectly adequate.

Software – not the imaging, that ought to be good for any make these days, but the general handling and archiving and indexing and so on and so on. I've seen a system in one place that was so complicated that no-one could work it properly except one of the nurses who looked about twelve years old but was a real geek.

RE: New Xray Developer - what should I get?

Beats — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:39:49 GMT

Thanks Evelyn.

Most helpful as always!

Just for clarity though, I suspect you have a dedicated CR system for dental plates, while I was meaning that CR systems designed for very large plates primarily, but also able to take dental films perhaps don't have great quality on the dental ones (in comparison to dedicated dental units)?

A kind gentleman from Burtons is going to send me some images taken with the CR Smart (AGFA CR15) which is the one with the magnetic bits in cassette to allow use of smaller dental CR films in main developer i think, so I guess I'll see what those look like (not that I'm an expert...)

If they are good then I think I'll get a demo of that system as local support (which matters more these days) seems good. Software is AQS by Examion

The Vita Flex from IMV also appears to take dental plates, but possibly just sizes 2 and 4, and I'm not sure of the details.

The FIRE CR from Medray sounds very promising also and at a good price, and with dental cassettes available in 0,1,2,3,4,4C as I understand it (albeit at quite an extra cost). I know you have previously commented here, Evelyn, that the FIRE CR DENTAL unit is good, so at least the brand sounds reliable on this one?

The Fuji CR system has no capability for taking dental plates.

Still waiting to hear back from CelticSMR, a.xommerville and PLH Medical.

Will need to check compatibility with the Dental Xray unit we have as well if going this route.

Other than capability to do dental films and price and local availability/servicing (and reputation of company), I'm struggling to see anything to pick between the offerings. I'd be shocked if any were not of good image quality sufficient for my uses in this day and age, and ditto for the software and ability to measure and manipulate image.

RE: New Xray Developer - what should I get?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:11:18 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/diagnostic-imaging/f/discussions/29736/new-xray-developer---what-should-i-get/229279#229279"]Disadvantage 1: I'm still either dipping my dental xray films in chemicals or spending thousands on a separate dental xray developer system. [/quote]

A very good point.

[quote userid="12930" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/diagnostic-imaging/f/discussions/29736/new-xray-developer---what-should-i-get/229279#229279"](Countered by the DR fans that the CR systems that take dental plates don't have very good quality - is this correct?)[/quote]

No.

Well, not with my CR system anyway.

RE: New Xray Developer - what should I get?

Beats — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:59:45 GMT

OK, so everyone wants to sell me a DR system instead of a CR, but my issues with that are:

Advantage 1: faster (I didn't have a problem with our old CR system speed)

Advantage 2: less radiation exposures (I didn't have a problem with exposure levels of last system)

Advantage 3: newer technology and the direction things are heading in (but presumably a model purchased in 2021 with stil go obsolete at the same rate approximately as a CR model purchased in 2021)

Advantage 4: cheaper than it used to be (but still at least 50% more than CR)

On the flip side:

Disadvantage 1: I'm still either dipping my dental xray films in chemicals or spending thousands on a separate dental xray developer system. (Countered by the DR fans that the CR systems that take dental plates don't have very good quality - is this correct?) This was the single thing I was hoping to be an improvement, I otherwise have no gripes about he current system we have other than being from 2008 it is becoming obsolete and harder and more expensive to get serviced / software maintained etc.

Disadvantage 2: If someone wreaks the DR plate... While we have a Bucky and can go under the table, I am in habit of placing plate directly under leg when doing eg cruciate xrays so can measure tibia without magnification - I get that can use metal ball and accound for magnification, but I'm very happy generally putting a leg on top of the plate, so would either have to change habits or accept that the plate wouldn't stay under the table. Same with putting a plate in cat carrier and then a dyspnoeic cat on top of it on occasions. I'm told the plates are very robust... (Flip side is I guess much less moving parts and less chance of needing repairs etc?)