‘As DR technology continues to evolve, we foresee a bright future for it in India’

Chandan Naphade, General Manager – XRS Solutions, Carestream Health India, in an interview with Express Healthcare, throws light on the current trends and demands of DR technology and its future growth in India. He also speaks about Carestream’s latest offerings in this space that provides a competitive edge to the company. 

Over the years, the DR industry has witnessed various evolutions. What are the latest trends in the industry?

Hospitals of all sizes, imaging centres, orthopaedic facilities, trauma and urgent care centres and other facilities, are increasingly shifting to wireless DR technology these days. As a result of the ongoing evolution of DR technology, significant advances are being made in image quality, reliability, productivity and ease of installation. Some other advances are detectors with higher resolution and the ability to reduce X-ray exposure to patient. To support dual energy and tomosynthesis exams, some advanced applications, as well as other emerging technologies, Carestream offers its new generation DR systems, such as Carestream’s DRX-Evolution Plus.

What are the latest offerings by Carestream?

Carestream Health is known for developing new medical imaging products and healthcare IT solutions. While we continue to add new products in these categories, we are also expanding into ultrasound and radiography/ fluoroscopy imaging solutions.

Few latest additions made in our portfolio are new digital X-ray detectors, two premium ultrasound systems, mobile X-ray and a new radiography/fluoroscopy platform. These new systems by Carestream serve a broad range of healthcare providers. They provide improved quality information of medical imaging exams, while enhancing productivity and ease of use. Our product developers used our customers’ feedback and worked day and night to develop features that meet various diagnostic imaging challenges prevails across the world.

Some other new imaging products that form a part of our portfolio are:

• New CARESTREAM 3rd generation DRX Plus 3543 and DRX Plus 3543C wireless X-ray detectors.
• CARESTREAM DRX-Excel and DRX-Excel Plus radiography/digital fluoroscopy systems.
• CARESTREAM Touch Prime and Touch Prime XE ultrasound systems that capture images for radiology, OB/GYN, musculoskeletal and vascular applications.

These new systems ensure improved productivity and ease of use, as well as enhance the information quality provided by medical imaging.

How does Carestream identify and address the current demands of customers?

We have a medical advisory board that comprises thought leaders across the globe. We use the ideas of our advisory board and customers’ feedback to find out the new capabilities needed to meet the current demands of customers. For instance, based on our customer feedback, we added a significant design feature in our new
DRX-Evolution Plus platform. An overhead tube column extension, added to this platform keeps the system at a distance suitable to capture standing ankle and feet in high-ceiling rooms. Earlier, healthcare facilities had to invest heavily to lower their ceilings for accommodating these systems, but with our newly added design feature, this cost can be avoided now. Our new higher patient weight table addresses the challenges involved in imaging of bariatric patients.

Our DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray system not only helps overcome the challenges of existing mobile systems but also addresses various imaging needs. Based on the inputs of several radiology administrators/ directors and technologists, we have incorporated some revolutionary capabilities in the system – a long tubehead to provide access to patients in crowded rooms; a small footprint with a touch-screen display that enable technologists stay at the bedside; a collapsible column for clear visibility and a dual motor drive for effortless movement of the system.

What does the future holds for DR?

As DR technology continues to evolve we foresee a bright future for it in India. We have made this technology affordable with our tiered portfolio of room-based systems. Now even smaller-volume healthcare providers like community hospital, imaging centres, urgent care centres and orthopaedic practices can smoothly shift from CR to DR without worrying much about the transitioning cost and complexities. Our room retrofitting service and mobile imaging systems help healthcare providers upgrade to wireless DR technology without disturbing their existing investments.