Comparison of Digital and Conventional Radiography Systems

Introduction: Medical imaging systems have been developing rapidly in recent years. So X-ray systems are usually classified as analog (conventional) and digital. Digital Radiography (DR) increased mean number of examinations by 12% compared to conventional radiography. Most modern CR (computed radiography) and DR systems now effectively offer compared to screen-film (analog) radiography. In the following article, options for radiologists and physicists to assess and image quality in DR systems are summarized. Objectives: The aim of this review study is to determine differences between digital and analog radiography system and clinical advantages of digital radiography.Material and methods: This review article was searched by keywords Digital, Analogue, Conventional, Radiology, Radiography in PubMed and Google scholar. Finally articles from 2014 to 2018 were evaluated.Results: The working principles of these two systems (conventional and digital radiography) are the same, but the methods of image acquisition are different. In DR systems, X-rays fall into flat panel detectors instead of film and are converted into electrical signals and the equipment provides image quality that can surpass traditional film, bringing out tiny fractures and imperfections that might have been missed on film. DR system typically reduces radiation exposure by 75% or more and let you control the exposure of each image in real time. The balance between the necessary image quality and the amount of radiation dose invested is much more flexible for digital detectors compared to screen-film systems. In DR systems Spatial resolution is higher and images can be recorded electronically. It allows Teleradiology and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) applications. Conclusions: The Advantages of digital radiography are higher quality of care, X-ray image enhancement, enhanced X-ray image quality, time and productivity savings, quick image sharing.

Keywords:

Digital Radiography , Conventional systems , CR detector , Analog