How-To Evaluate a Veterinary Digital Radiography System A SPECIAL REPORT
INTRODUCTION The more information you have, the easier decisions are to make. Experiencing a live hands-on demonstration will take your understanding of the latest DR technologies and image quality to the next level. A presentation alone cannot replace the learning of a hands-on experience. What to look for:
#1 REQUEST A LIVE DEMONSTRATION Even if you have film, a modern veterinary digital radiography system can be demonstrated by placing the detector panel on top of the X-Ray table. The leading veterinary imaging companies can provide a live demonstration in your lab within two weeks. #2 INVITE YOUR ENTIRE STAFF If possible, make sure there are at least one experienced and a less experienced technician to test the system. #3 EVALUATE WORKFLOW Ease of use is a must. The interface must be extremely intuitive, especially in an emergency situation, or when dealing with staff turnover. The ability to easily re-train new staff is crucial. A simple interface consisting of no more than 3 steps from patient entry to acquiring images is ideal. Also important is the ability to easily correct a mistake, such as a mislabeled view or a missing marker. Built in help videos and radiographic positioning guides are also a plus. 4
#4 EVALUATE IMAGE QUALITY ON MULTIPLE PATIENT TYPES Preschedule some exams prior to the demonstration to make the most of your time. Note: Challenge image quality with a large breed dog. If you evaluate multiple systems, use the same dog for each demo. This will make your comparisons apples to apples. #5 IMAGING TUNING: IMAGE PROCESSING IS THE DNA OF A DR SYSTEM Images are only as good as the tuning that was done by the system manufacturer. The difficulty of tuning is its based on averages of species, anatomy and sizes, because it s impossible to tune the system to every conceivable different animal. Consistency is another disadvantage of conventional tuning. This makes your live demonstration and image quality evaluation all the more important. Be sure you like the general look of the images and you feel they clearly represent anatomy without over-processing. Note: The Gold Standard of image tuning is MUSICA Intelligent Image Processing. MUSICA divides each image into twelve layers and optimizes them individually, then rebuilds into one. MUSICA presents fine bone and soft tissue detail in every image without relying on average tuning files. MUSICA can be found in SMART DR and AGFA CR products from Sound. 5
#6 IMAGE REVIEW AND STORAGE Best practice and the most responsible way to treat your medical images are to store them in two places. A local server pulls images instantly while in the practice. Backing up to an image cloud like Sound s SoundSafe, gives you long-term access from anywhere and peace of mind. See for yourself how easy it is to send images to the cloud, even if you don t think you re ready for it yet. #7 SHARING IMAGES A major benefit of digital X-Ray is the ability to share images with colleagues, specialists and clients. Be sure to test how to share and view images from the office and your phone (yes it s going there). #8 PANEL MANUFACTURERS Manufacturers who produce the panel or digital detector of DR systems don t sell directly to veterinarians; they re sold through distributors. In veterinary imaging, specialized experience matters. Be sure the company you re investing in has long-term relationships with their panel vendors. DR systems can last 8 or more years but if yours breaks at year 5 and the company you purchased from has switched to another panel manufacturer, it can be hard to get support. 6
#9 MEDICAL OR VETERINARY PRODUCTS Be sure the system you re investing in is veterinary specific. Human systems are often less than ideal when applied to the requirements of veterinary radiography. Note: Human medical devices are not permitted to come in contact with animals so it s not advised to have a company bring in a human X-Ray system to practice on your patients. #10 PRODUCT OR PARTNER? As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Your patients and practice deserve image quality, workflow and an imaging partner you can count on. Seek out a veterinary focused imaging company with history and long standing partnerships with the original equipment manufacturers and customers alike. It s easy to sell an off the shelf product but innovating for the specific demands of veterinary medicine and supporting customers for the long haul requires commitment and investment Sound is the veterinary imaging leader focused on partnering with veterinarians and provides 24/7 live support by trained technicians and has for the past 20 years. 7
#11 INSTALLATION A typical installation of a veterinary digital radiography system can be adapted to your existing X-ray table. The bucky tray, which holds the film cassettes, is retrofitted to hold the new DR panel. X-Ray room needs: 110V Power outlet to run the Acquisition Station Wall mount location for Acquisition Station (determine where a 20+ inch monitor can fit on the wall, near the table) High speed Internet port (Cat 5e or Cat6) placed close to wall mount location Server needs: Server location: The server can be placed anywhere in your hospital. If it is also being used as a viewing station, there should be space for the monitor. 110V Power outlet High speed Internet port (Cat 5e or Cat6) #12 TRAINING Digital radiography installation is usually done just before the training and both are typically completed within two days. If you have several staff that will be using the new system, be sure each potential user receives full system training. Note: Missing the training can be problematic with most systems. One system that removed this issue is the Sound SMART DR. Onboard training videos go through all functions and can bring new users up to speed and taking images within half an hour. This is especially helpful for hospitals with regular turnover. 8
#13 SUPPORT The veterinary imaging industry is fairly small. While there are a few third party companies who work on digital systems, the original company who produced the product is the best to support it. Be sure to learn about what s really included in extended warranty packages. It may appear that support is free or cheap but read the fine print. Many companies charge hidden fees for repairing and replacing broken or defective equipment. Pay special attention to language to the availability of loaners if a DR panel needs repair or replacing. #14 RADIOLOGIST OVER-READS Human medicine has radiologists interpret and render a report on nearly every imaging exam. Radiology over-reads are now becoming standard in the veterinary practice at an alarming pace. There are several reputable reading services like AIS (Antech Imaging Services) who accept veterinary images and turn around reports as their full time concern. How to get started? Many hospitals implement radiologist over-reads to add clinical confidence or for those difficult studies as a readily accessible second opinion. Be sure the system you evaluate has a live connection to send images directly to a radiology service. 9
#15 THE COMPANY YOU KEEP Digital Radiography is one of the largest investments a practice will make. Be sure the company is suitable for long-term partnership. Key questions to ask: How long has the company been servicing their systems? Ask how long they have been selling the same DR panels? Remember, short-term manufacturer relationships can leave you without support when the system breaks. Make sure remote diagnostics are built in. This enables a trained technician to log into your system and troubleshoot the issues without sending it in for repair. Is the company veterinary specific? Do they create their own products or only sell off-the-shelf products? Depth of support: Is there a support department or is the sales person also the trainer and engineer? Sound the global veterinary imaging leader, was founded in 1996 on education and innovation and has pioneered veterinary digital radiography and ultrasound ever since. The mission is simple; help veterinarians incorporate the latest imaging technologies into their practice. 28 of 29 veterinary schools have trusted their imaging investments with Sound and trained technicians are on the job twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to support customers. Sound pioneered small animal and equine DR and currently produce the best selling imaging products in the history of veterinary medicine. At Sound, Every Image Matters. Learn more at soundvet.com/smartdr today 10