A mobile DR is being seen not just as a radiology device but also as a point-of-care decision support device

Convenient workflow and the ability to accommodate the ebbs and flows of productivity demands are top of mind for today’s imaging departments when considering mobile DR X-ray systems; the capability to accommodate a variety of bedside imaging exams as well as a broad range of patients—from neonatal studies all the way to bariatric imaging—is vital.

“Sites are interested in smaller footprint systems but do not want to compromise the number of features or degree of performance typically needed with this type of technology, [considering] how heavily it is relied upon in any type of hospital or medical facility,” says Edward Thieman, vice president of business operations for Virtual Imaging, Inc, a Canon company.

A system design without the distraction of a tall X-ray tube column blocking the technologist’s line of sight while driving and maneuvering the machine has become the gold standard in the industry today. Nearly all mobile X-ray system manufacturers offer a unit that includes this key technical attribute. Chiranjiv Singh, chief marketing officer of GE Healthcare’s X-ray division, says customers expect to take their mobile DR systems to every part of the hospital, from the emergency department to the neonatal ICU.

“A mobile DR is being seen not just as a radiology device but also as a point-of-care decision support device,” Singh says. “This has implications on how the device is connected and what specific tools are designed to support the various care areas where the device is used.”

This also brings up the topic of reliability, not only from an industrial design or hardware perspective but also from a software and connectivity perspective, Singh explains. “Image quality, system reliability, and connectivity are key themes we hear from customers,” he says.