Update on ultrasound and digital imaging (Proceedings)

What I have learned about ultrasound equipment

• Do not buy used "very old" equipment, but equipment that is one generation old is often the best value.

• Buy from a reliable dealer-ask for a list of others that have purchased from this vendor and contact a few veterinarians to find out what they like and do not like about the equipment and after sale support.

• Non-mechanical probes will usually give you better resolution than mechanical problems.

• Transducer frequency between 5 and 10 MHz gives the best image for everyday usage.

• It is best to have a monitor with a wide field of view.

• You must be able to record the study on DVD.

• It is good to be able to attach an external monitor to the unit.

• You must be able to capture images and produce cine loops.

• You must be able to put the material on a transport drive.

What I have learned

• If you take excellent quality radiographs now-you may or may not like digital

• If you take good quality radiographs now-you will like digital

• If you take poor quality radiographs now-you will love digital.

• If all goes "right" you will love digital.

• If all goes not so right-you will hate digital.

• You will either need to be reasonably computer knowledgeable or you will spend the rest of your life relying on your support staff to do everything!

• It helps to have a local computer geek.

• It will take longer to review a series of radiographs.

• You better have a backup system to store your images.

• You will take more radiographs-often a lot more!

• You need to be aware of radiation safety.

• You will invest a reasonable amount to a large amount of money and you must figure a payback within three years (may be five years).

• A high speed internet connection is a good thing to have.

If you go digital

You will need

• Radiographic unit

• Safety garb

• Proper patient positioning

• Computer work station

• Electronic storage

• Photographic printer

• Digital Processor and Cassette-CR

What you will no longer need

• Wet chemical processor

• Conventional cassette/screen system

• Darkroom

• Radiographic viewers

Electronic imaging-digital imaging

CR-computed radiography

• Cassette (cassettes)

• Processor

• Computer

• Monitor

• Software

DR-digital radiography-flat panel

• Direct to Digital Receptor

• Computer

• Monitor

• Software

CCD-

• Direct to Digital Receptor

• Computer

• Monitor

• Software

DICOM-The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard for distributing and viewing any kind of medical image regardless of the origin.

http://medical.nema.org/|

JPEG- ... JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). The JPEG compression format was standardized by ISO in August 1990 and commercial applications using it began to show up in 1991. The widely used IJG implementation was first publicly released in October 1991 and has been considerably developed since that time. JPEG JFIF images are widely used on the Web. The amount of compression can be adjusted to achieve the desired trade-off between file size and visual quality.

Issues and considerations

• Dicom Vs. Other Formats

• Digital Radiography Artifacts

• Image Display

• Acquisition Hardwre For Digital Imaging

• Picture Archiving And Communication Systems (Pacs)

• Digital Image Storage

• Teleradiology

Search the web

What they all say!

• We are a highly innovative company which designs and manufactures high quality medical radiographic systems for hospitals and ...

• The leader....

• Over !!!! units sold....

What none of them say!

• The first stuff we sold was junk...

• We have gone out of business because we could not do what we promised!

Websites I visit to learn what is hot and what is not

• www.acvr.org

• www.eklin.com

• www.Kodak.com

• www.agfa.com

• www.idexx.com

• www.afpimaging.com

• www.quantummedical.net

• www.imagingdynamics.com

• www.soundvet.com

• www.summitindustries.net