X-ray imaging has been used for detecting and diagnosing health issues since the beginning of the twentieth century. Since then, traditional X-Ray machines have been gradually advancing to provide better imaging to enable doctors and dentists to diagnose various issues accurately.
However, these traditional X-Ray machines are getting phased out due to the availability of newer and more advanced digital X-Ray machines. Unlike conventional X-Ray machines, digital X-Ray machines provide radiologists with better image-enhancing capabilities that ensure the X-Ray images taken are more precise and provide more detail and information for doctors and dentists to use for diagnosis.
Nonetheless, many health facilities and private practices have yet to switch to digital X-Ray machines, and as a result, they are still utilizing the traditional X-Ray machines. However, switching to digital X-Ray machines can benefit health facilities, doctors, and patients.
Therefore, here are three reasons health facilities are being encouraged to consider upgrading to a digital X-Ray machine.
Less Radiation Exposure
Traditional X-Ray machines are typically considered safe because the amount of radiation exposure patients and radiologists get exposed to is not life-threatening. Nonetheless, frequent exposure to X-Rays can result in a person developing cancer. As a matter of fact, there have been reported cases where radiologists have been diagnosed with cancer resulting from frequent exposure to X-Rays while at work.
Thus, one of the main reasons health facilities need to upgrade from traditional X-Ray machines is because the amount of radiation emitted by these machines can have adverse health effects in the long run.
However, digital X-Ray machines have been designed to minimize radiation emission significantly. In fact, digital X-Rays produce up to 80% less radiation than traditional X-Ray machines. Thus, digital X-Ray machines are considerably safer than conventional X-Ray machines in the long run.
Better Image Quality
One of the critical disadvantages of traditional X-Ray machines is that getting clear images is a challenge. Unfortunately, the blurred images often mean that a doctor or dentist can't provide a good diagnosis based on the low-quality details available in the film.
Additionally, patients often had to have X-Rays taken multiple times to achieve a more detailed image. Furthermore, traditional X-Ray machines also lack zooming capabilities, making it difficult for doctors to highlight areas of interest.
However, digital X-Ray machines come equipped with the latest DR technology. As a result, with a digital X-Ray machine, radiologists and doctors can:
- Adjust image brightness and contrast to get clear images
- Zoom in on critical areas of interest
- Flip and invert the images
- Include measurements and notes on the image for future reference
Thus, digital X-Ray machines provide doctors with access to high-quality images that facilitate more accurate diagnoses.
Saving Time
For traditional X-Ray machines, patients and doctors usually have to wait for a couple of days for the film to get developed. As a result, doctors cannot diagnose their patients on the same day, thus resulting in a delay in the commencement of treatments.
However, as the name suggests, digital X-ray machines are entirely digitized. As a result, no film needs to get developed. Instead, the images are uploaded to a computer in digital format, which is a faster process than producing a film. As a result, doctors and patients have access to the X-Ray images within a few hours instead of waiting for several days for a film to be developed.
Additionally, because the images are digitized, doctors can easily access their patient's X-Ray images via a computer rather than waste time digging out films from physical patient files. Furthermore, because the X-Ray images are accessible to doctors within a few minutes or hours, it is pretty easy for a doctor to diagnose a patient on the same day rather than a patient having to wait for several days to get diagnosed.
For more information about Digital X Ray Machines, contact a company like VXS Imaging.
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