Digital Radiography

During the last decade there has been a revolution in x-ray technology. Traditionally x-rays have been recorded on photographic film and developed in a similar process to that used in normal photography. However recent advances in digital technology have been adapted to medical / veterinary radiography. This enables the images to be stored on computer and magnified so that subtle changes that may not be visible on conventional films can be identified.

Pool House Equine Clinic was delighted to install a Kodak CR digital x-ray system in June 2006 which was our first digital system. This still relied on an x-ray film but converted the image into a digital format, that system was subsequently replaced by two ‘DR’ x-ray systems. DR uses a receiver to detect the x-ray radiation and convert it ‘directly’ into a computer image. ‘DR’ gives very high quality images.

In the past some areas of the horse such as the stifle or spinous processes have been difficult to x-ray using conventional film / screen technology. With DR technology such radiographs are now ‘routine’.