Exposure is Preventable

     As we all know X-ray radiation has its dark side, but there's plenty you can do to reduce your exposure.


      First, you should understand that scientists have created ways to minimize exposure to X-ray radiation. This mostly includes offering recommendations, measuring the entrance skin doses -- the amount of rays absorbed through the skin -- of certain procedures, ensuring equipment is working properly and providing the best training to people operating the machines. In general, the FDA regulates the production of X-ray equipment, while states make laws to oversee the technology's use .


      To ensure you're not being unnecessarily exposed, check the instruction and certification level of the technicians and doctors performing medical X-rays. Since training varies, you'll want to seek professionals with more education and experience. For instance, you might want to find clinics with board-certified radiologists for more serious scans. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor why an X-ray is or isn't necessary.

X-ray security: can airport system be hacked?（2）

   "In fact, all machines are delivered to airports with [save] functions disabled," says the US Transport Security Administration, which has rolled out the machines to 19 airports.


      But this might not be enough.


      "If the computer is compromised, [the hacker] could install a trojan on the machine, which can capture a video of what the operator is looking at, and record it," Mr Miller said.


      These hacker attacks would rely on the x-ray machine being plugged into the airport's computer network, and so connected to the outside world.


      The Office of Transport Security has been asked whether x-ray scanning - if implemented in Australia - would involve the networking of x-ray equipment. A response is pending.


      In recent days, the office has said it is waiting on results from a 2008 trial - in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide - before deciding how or when to implement screening locally.


      Another, albeit less likely, way that scanned images could get out was the capture of x-rays, Mr Watt said.


      "If it's emitting an electric signal, you can capture those signals but you'll need some application to interface with it [and unscramble it to re-create the image]," he said.


      He cited a device that could re-generate the image on a computer screen based on the gamma rays the monitor emitted as an example of technology that could be developed for this purpose.


      "So I'd say someone with the right knowledge and 2-3 hours could do it."


      On 702 ABC radio yesterday, Crikey aviation writer Ben Sandilands also raised concerns that x-ray machines used the same radio frequency as wifi. This meant a hacker could use a wifi-enabled PC to hack into the machines and access scanned images.


      Mr Miller believed this was unlikely, as x-rays and wifi were distinctly different protocols.


      In any case, while it was more dramatic to think of hackers using wizardry breaking into a network, it was usually human slip-ups that opened the door, Mr Miller's CEO Robert McAdam said.


      "You don't have to do it as a full frontal attack, rather focus on some weaker link in the chain," he said.


      The quality and integrity of airport staff would thus be crucial to the protection of scanned images. In the US, airport officers evaluating images are banned from taking cameras, phones or photo-enabled devices into viewing room.

       "It's usually the people, like an unhappy ex-employee, or someone just being lax with passwords ... that leads to a [hack attack]," Mr Watt said.


      "Usually a place like an airport is pretty secure but there's always a loop-hole."

X-ray security: can airport system be hacked?（1）

    Having a strange airport employee looking at your "naked" image on a full-body x-ray scanner might be disturbing enough. But what if hackers got access to your "virtual strip search" and distributed it to an even wider audience?

    Authorities have gone to significant lengths to appease privacy advocates about x-ray scanners, but protection from technological intrusions haven't featured in explanations.


      Hackers have successfully cracked open bank accounts, government websites and even the private Yahoo email account of would-be US vice president Sarah Palin ... so why not an airport x-ray machine?
      "From the attackers perspective, it's more around how secure the computers are that control the x-ray machine," said Ty Miller, chief technology officer of Pure Hacking, which tests the security of websites and online systems.


      "The way to hack in and get access to images would be by accessing the computers controlling them. There's someone sitting there at a computer hitting 'enter' as people go through [to be scanned], and it's possible that that computer might have some sort of vulnerability, just as any desktop might."


      Alan Watt, head of forensics at e.law and who has researched cyber-terrorism, said most computer software had a "back door" that could be exploited by hackers.


      "If the x-ray software is owned and managed by some company in Seattle, they often have a back door that allows them to perform remote maintenance."


      If a hacker came in via that backdoor, "it would be the same for them as being in front of computer, it doesn't matter if they're sitting 100 miles away [from the airport]", he said.


      They would then have access to data stored on the computer.


      Authorities say scanned images will not be stored.

Dental x ray In the Pipeline

  There's a newer dental X-ray technique that your dentist already may be using or may soon be using. It's called digital imaging. Instead of developing X-ray film in a dark room, the X-rays are sent directly to a computer and can be viewed on screen, stored, or printed out. There are several nice benefits of using this new technology including:


      The technique uses less radiation than the typical X-ray and there is no wait time for the X-rays to develop -- the images are available on screen a few seconds after being taken.


      The image taken, of a tooth for example, can be enhanced and enlarged many times it's actual size on the computer screen, making it easier for your dentist to show you where and what the problem is.


      If necessary, images can be electronically sent to another dentist or specialist -- for instance, for a second opinion on a dental problem -- to determine if a specialist is needed, or to a new dentist (if you move).


      Software added to the computer can help dentists digitally compare current images to previous ones in a process called subtraction radiography. Using this technique, everything that is the same between two images is "subtracted out" from the image leaving a clear image of only the portion that is different. This helps dentists easily see the tiniest changes that may not have been noticed by the naked eye.

Lung cancer prevention: Research and New Treatments on the Horizon

    New chemotherapy approaches: Clinical trials are currently investigating the use of neoadjuvant treatments (chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation,diagnosed by x ray machine before surgery) for early stage lung cancer. Other clinical trials are testing new chemotherapy drugs, while other studies are testing whether the effectiveness of existing chemotherapeutic drugs can be improved by combining them with each other or with radiation therapy (fluoroscopy on lung or take radiography via x ray equipment, surgical x ray system ).


      Vaccines, manufactured from the patient's own tumor cells or a protein common to lung cancer cells, are presently under investigation. They use the body's immune system to fight lung cancer. The goal is to cause the immune system to recognize some of the abnormal substances in lung cancer cells and as a result, kill these cells.


      Specially designed antibodies are being produced in the laboratory that can be injected into patients to seek out lung cancer cells. Toxins or radioactive atoms can be attached to these antibodies, so that the cell-killing chemicals or radiation is targeted specifically to the cancer cells, preventing destruction of healthy cells of the body. These specialized (monoclonal) antibodies are being studied in clinical trials alone and in combination with standard chemotherapy regimens.


      Special drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors are being studied in clinical trials, alone and in combination with standard chemotherapy regimens. These agents are designed to block the formation of blood vessels to the tumor, thereby starving and, hopefully, killing them.


      Small molecules are being designed to specifically target and interfere with some aspect of tumor cell function. One such example is an experimental compound called ZD1839 (Iressa), an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is present on the tumors of some patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

Types of Extraoral X-Rays

    There are several types of extraoral X-rays that your dentist may take.
      Panoramic X-raysshow the entire mouth area -- all the teeth in both the upper and lower jaws -- on a single X-ray. This type of X-ray is useful for detecting the position of fully emerged as well as emerging teeth, can identify impacted teeth, and aid in the diagnosis of tumors.
      Tomogramsshow a particular layer or "slice" of the mouth while blurring out all other layers. This type of is useful for examining structures that are difficult to clearly see -- for instance, because other structures are in very close proximity to the structure to be viewed.
      Cephalometric projectionsshow the entire side of the head. This type of X-ray is useful for examining the teeth in relation to the jaw and profile of the individual. Orthodontists use this type of X-ray to develop their treatment plans.
Sialographyinvolves visualization of the salivary glands following the injection of a dye. The dye, called a radiopaque contrast agent, is injected into the salivary glands so that the organ can be seen on the X-ray film (the organ is a soft tissue that would not otherwise be seen with an X-ray). Dentists might order this type of test to look for salivary gland problems, such as blockages or Sjögren's syndrome.
      Computed tomography, otherwise known as CT scanning, shows the body's interior structures as a three-dimensional image. This type of X-ray, which may be performed in a hospital or radiology center rather than a dentist's office, is used to identify problems in the bones of the face, such as tumors or fractures. CT scans are also used to evaluate bone for the placement of dental implants and difficult extractions. This helps the surgeon avoid possible complications during and after a surgical procedure.

X-ray checking may cause cancer

    Most of hospitals donn't have any protecting measures when patients do X-ray checking. But according to International radiation protection committee's research shows, there are 350 people causing cancer, leukemia or other genetic disease because of checking x-ray in a ten million population city. It is also that the state ministry has specific provision: doctors should adopt shielding protection of near x-ray irradiation sensitive organs when do diagnosis and treatment on patients. Then many hospitals don't perform it.

    There are a lot of people waiting for doing Computed Tomography checking in big hospitals of Beijing. But the patients were not told to wear protecting clothing. Then in foreign, if doctor want to do x-ray checking on teeth, the patient will wear protecting clothing for them before doing X-ray checking, doctors will introduce x-ray radiation process in detail and wear heavy lead protective clothing for patients and cover neck, breast and genital. In addition, patients should wear protective hoods. Every thing is ready and doctor will begin.

    For X-ray demage, Oxford University and British cancer reseach center research shows that there are 0.6% new cancer cases in British, Germany is 1.5% and Japan is 3.2%. It is caused by X-ray and Computed Tomography. It is most damage for pregnant women and children and it not only injure children’s mental development but also result in fetal abnormalities.

   In accordance with China medical association and radiation society, conventional check radiation is in the scope of human safety. But we should avoid unnecessary CT checking or x-ray checking. If you go to hospital, whether decide x-ray or not according to disease and not ask to do it positivly. You can ask whether MRI or B Ultrasound and other ways can achieve the same effect. You had better choose small radiation and ensuring the inspection effect methods. In addition, patients can request anti-radiation activly before checking. Last one, if no necessary, don’t go into neurobehavior exam.

Analysis of Blood Chemistry

   When having blood tests done, a patient will receive a report from the doctor. The report lists several levels of cells and enzymes in the body. Liver enzymes, biomolecules, electrolytes and blood cell count are just a few of the readings the doctor receives from laboratory results. Knowing what to expect from a blood test helps patients understand results. From these tests, the doctor determines the proper treatment if disease or abnormal results are shown.

      Hematocrit
      The first step in reading blood chemistry is to separate the blood. The separation is done through a centrifuge, which is a machine that spins very fast and causes heavier liquids to sink to the bottom while lighter fluids stick to the top. In a hematocrit, the red blood cells fall to the bottom of the vial and the lighter white blood cells stay at the top. The two separate fluids are then analyzed for red and white blood count.


      Hemoglobin
      Hemoglobin is a protein. It's made up of four globular proteins. These four proteins are brought together with an iron core called a heme. The heme is the part of the molecule that bonds with four oxygen molecules. Hemoglobin is filled with oxygen in the lungs, and a low hemoglobin hematocrit reading is a sign of anemia. Approximately 15 percent of the blood volume in a hematocrit is red blood cells.


      White Blood Cells
      There are several types of white blood cells. Some cells are regularly circulated in the blood, but other white blood cells proliferate and increase numbers during infection. The white blood cell count is important in an hematocrit since it can alert the patient and the doctor of a possible infection. For instance, a high amount of T cells, B cells or antibodies in a reading may mean the body is fighting infection. A normal white blood cell count is 3.8 and 10.8 thousand/uL.


      Carbon Dioxide
      Carbon dioxide levels are read from the blood tests to detect any kind of respiratory problems. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of cellular reactions and metabolism. When red blood cells reach the tissue, gas exchange occurs where oxygen is traded for carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is released during exhalation. If respiratory problems are present, high levels of carbon dioxide may be present. Normal readings for adults are 22 to 32 mmol/L.


      Bilirubin
      Bilirubin is a byproduct of red blood cell breakdown. The liver is responsible for break down of old red blood cells that need to be removed from the body. The liver removes them by excreting old cells with bile. Bile is used in the digestive tract to break down fats in the diet. What isn't absorbed by the intestines is excreted from the body. Bilirubin counts enable doctors to detect any kind of poor liver function. A normal bilirubin count is 0 - 1.3 mg/dL in adults.

Ways That Blood Gas Levels Improve

    Arterial blood gas (ABG) measures a variety of things that can indicate how well a patient's lungs are functioning and delivering oxygen to the blood and the body. It can also be used to test for acute and chronic disease processes. Each aspect of the ABG has its own reference range and bringing the levels back to normal will improve the health of the patient and any subsequent readings.


      pH 
      The pH of the blood measures how many hydrogen ions are present, which reflects the blood's acidity. Normal arterial blood pH is between 7.35 and 7.45. pH can be elevated if the patient is anxious or in pain, anemic, in shock, in congestive heart failure or suffering from pulmonary disease. It can be too low if the patient is obese, ketoacidotic due to diabetes, is starving or has diarrhea, is having severe pulmonary issues or is in cardiac arrest or otherwise experiencing severe heart problems. Some of these symptoms can be corrected or treated immediately while others take more time to address. pH levels return to normal only after the problem is addressed.


      pCO2
     Partial pressure of carbon dioxide is normally between 35-45 torr and indicates how much carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood. Pulmonary edema and obstructive lung disorders can cause increased pCO2 levels. Decreased levels can mean that the patient is pregnant, hyperventilating or suffering from hypoxia, anxiety or a pulmonary embolism. An abnormal pCO2 reading can be life-threatening.
      pO2
      pO2 is similar to pCO2 in that it measures the amount of oxygen in the blood and is directly indicative of how well the lungs are oxygenating and delivering oxygen to the body. The most serious complications of an abnormal pO2 reading arise when levels are not high enough. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart decompensation and restrictive pulmonary disease are all chronic problems that can cause low pO2 levels. Long-term treatment may bring levels up but usually not within normal range (30-40 torr).


      CO2 Content
      This aspect of a blood gas test measures all of the carbon dioxide present in the blood. Chronic respiratory disease (increased CO2 levels) and kidney disease (decreased CO2 levels) are indicated by an abnormal reading. These should be treated right away although they may last for the long-term. Normal range is 23-30 mmol/L.


      Base Excess or Deficit
       Base excess or deficit indicates the metabolic waste present in the blood. Normal values are plus or minus 3 mEq/L. Negative abnormal values indicate lactic acidosis, ketoacidosis, shock or cardiopulmonary failure while positive values above normal point to diarrhea, hemorrhage or loss of buffer base. These all require immediate attention but do not usually turn into chronic problems if the person follows doctor's orders.


      SO2
      Oxygen saturation should be greater than 94 percent and is a measure of how well the lungs are passing oxygen to the body. For example, a low oxygen saturation can be due to chronic pulmonary disease or lung failure and can be corrected with the use of portable oxygen. SO2 is not always measured in an ABG.

Asia has become new focus of global medical equipment

    With Asia countries entering the aging socie fastly, the structure of Asia medical equipment market will change a lot.

   According to foreign institutions foreast, minimally invasive surgical instruments products which cardiovascular disease or heart disease operation used, such as Implantable stents, catheter and artificial vascular, their global sale amounts will be 195 billion to 200 billion dollars in 2011. Among of them, Asia will account for 15% market share and be listed the third place after America and Europe. Asia market fast increasement has become the focus of world attention.

    Electronic diagnosis earners have become hospital routine configuration

     Before thirty years, most of Asia countries doctors don't know what is Computed Tomography excepts Japan, Singapore and Hongkong having Computed Tomography. But now, Asia has become the third large diagnosis camera market of Computed Tomography, MRI and High Frequency Radiography.Unit.

     According to related reports, Asia has sold ten thousands black and white ultrasounds or color B ultrasounds, thousands of common digital x ray machines and hundreds of MRI advanced electronic diagnostic equipments. Now, some country hospitals of rich Asia countries have not only B ultrasound but also they have equiped with CT machines.

      Personal diagnosis small electronic devices have the rapid popularization.

     The other new situation of Asia medical equipments market is that personal diagnosis small electronic devices have be popularization in several Asia countries with national economic development and people's living standards enhancement.

     Orthopedics instruments will become the larger market.

      Asia's aging population have accounted for half of the global aging popularization and old people wre easy to have all kinds of joint disease. Therefore, the artificial joint and Orthopedic devices will become new hot commodities in Asia medical equipment market.

       In addtition, Vietnam and Indonesia have developed gradually. These two countries popularization are nearly three billion and their GDP have increased fastly in recent several years. This are the basic of the two governments increasing national medical health expenditure. At present, the country hopitals medical equipments of Indonesia and Vietnam are not enough. If rural hospitals of the two southeast Asia country have B ultrasound, Computed Tomography or High frequency Radiography Unit, Asia medical equipment market will increase 15% sales than now in every year at least.

Digital radiography system

     The wide application of Computed Radiography and the recent development of Direct Digital Radiography(DDR) has brought a number of advantages to radiology departments. Digital radiology systems usually have a larger dynamic range than film screen systems and so can accept a wide range of exposures. Also, such systems should allow better dosage optimization for individual examinations. However, the wide exposure dynamic range of such systems may have the disadvantage that, if the x-ray generator happens a fault or the output calibration drifts, the dosage increase/decrease may not be identified readily. At the same time, there is significant potential radiation for the initial set-up of such systems not to be optimized because of the wide exposure dynamic range.

  The implementation of the following advises will help to minimize the above mentioned disadvantages:

  1. The company supplying new digital equipment should supply information on the recommended receptor exposures, which give diagnostic images with the lowest possible patient dosage for each particular examination.

   2. This figure for the patient dosage, should be proved with an in-beam phantom during hand-over; the manufacturer should also specify the phantom parameters. These dosage values could be adjusted at each local site, such as the practice applied to Image Intensifiers. It is important for departments to set up QA systems to routinely monitor factors, including clinical exposure constancy, imaging system sensitivity and  AEC performance.

   3. Digital radiography systems may have different x-ray energy responses to film screen systems. Therefore,  the generator's Automatic Exposure Control compensation characteristics should be different from that.

   For existing systems having been upgraded to use DDR or CR, the existing AEC compensation characteristics will need reprogramming. Medical x-ray machine manufacturers should be in a position to offer any necessary generator firmware, software or hardware upgrades.

   Mobile X-ray machine should not be affected, as most do not normally use Automatic Exposure Control; however departmental exposure protocols should be adjusted to reflect the different characteristics of the digital image receptors.

    4. Each image, whether produced on film or soft copy display, should ideally have an associated number to indicate the level of exposure to the detector. Currently all CR systems have a sensitivity index which is related to detector exposure, however, DR systems are generally not supplied with this feature.

Hospital information prospect is broad

   In the time of the Internet and electronic commerce dominating，America government has paied more attention to information construction and hoped to strengthen information technology research and development and application so that lead information transmission of the future.

   Japan is the leading country of world advanced technology and has completed IT construction and met urban communication network's space of increasingly growth.

  In China, information construction is even more urgent. With continuous development of information construction, remote medical industry will go into conventional medical care system gradually and and play more and more important role. It is forecasted that people can get the needed medical and health care services in any time, place by application remote medical technology in the next century and improve global healthcare level greatly.

   China has a vast territory and many population, which is tend to aging. In addition, traffic and economic condition is relatively backward and development is imbalance, such as medical-x-ray machine,mobile x ray machine and digital x ray machine don't appear there. In remote areas, medicine lack seriously and it is difficult to realize everyone has medical resources. In addition, the information of the remote medical technology is one of the most economical and practical model to solve this problem. It has the broad development prospects in our country.

   With rapid development of computer technology and remote communication technology, remote medical system can not only transfer medical information by phone but also all medical resources can share and make medical exchange to achieve high efficiency. China has many population and if we can meet medical needs by information and market scale is great.

 Hospital information and share is the important factor of promoting medical reform and medical reform have to be implemented. China medical level has goten great progress. But it is difficult to see doctors and it is expensive to see doctors for people.

 Medical institutions uses information technology to reduce repeated inspection and decrease medical expenses; Some cities uses information to manage uniformly. It improves medical quality and decreases faults. Only continuous improving efficiency, reducing cost and strengthening the public welfare nature of health services can solve the problem of the above.

What your dentist doesn't tell you may harm you: dental X-rays linked to low-weight babies

      A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association links dental x-rays to low-weight babies. Women who gave birth to low-weight babies, the study says, were more than twice as likely to have had multiple dental x-rays. 


      That's an interesting find, but the real story is that modern dental work is extremely toxic to pregnant women and their fetuses. And it's not just the radiation from x-rays, either: dentists use a great number of toxic chemicals and substances in modern dental work, and many such substances -- such as mercury fillings -- are left in the patients' mouths for decades, where they slowly poison them. Dentists don't call them mercury fillings, of course: they use the safer-sounding "silver fillings" description, to hide the fact from patients that they're actually putting an extremely potent nerve toxin into their mouths. 


      Getting back to x-rays, I always find it amusing to see the x-ray operator at the dentist office fleeing from the machine before they zap patients. If x-rays are so safe, why are these people always making sure they're as far away from the machine as possible? The truth is that x-rays are simply bad for your health. The more x-rays you get, the worse the effect. Certainly, x-rays are sometimes necessary for good dental work, but I also suspect there are a whole lot of x-rays taking place for no reason other than to create a billable activity.

Imaging Tests for Digestive Diseases

  There are many different types of imaging tests used to diagnose diseases of the digestive system. They include:


      Computed Tomography (CT Scan)
      A CT scan, computed tomography takes multiple X-rays of the body from different angles in a very short period of time. These images are collected by a computer to give a series of "slices" of the body, which can help doctors determine what is causing your symptoms.


      Virtual Colonoscopy
      New technology has made it possible for a computer to take CT images of the colon and reconstruct a three-dimensional model of your colon -- called a virtual colonoscopy. The inside of this model can be inspected, obviously without causing any pain to you, while searching for abnormalities. However, if an abnormality is found, a scoping test, either sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, will be needed to get a tissue sample.


      Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
      MRI produces very clear pictures of the human body without the use of X-rays. MRI uses a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer to produce these images. The MRI examination poses no risk to the average person if appropriate safety guidelines are followed.


      Radionuclide Scanning
      Also called nuclear scanning, radionuclide scanning is a test that produces pictures of internal parts of the body using small amounts of radioactive material. This test is used to provide images of organs and areas of the body that cannot be seen well with standard X-rays. Many abnormal tissue growths, or tumors, are particularly visible using radionuclide scanning.
 
      In addition to showing the structure of an organ, radionuclide scanning allows the doctor to see how the organ is functioning. A diseased or poorly working organ will appear differently on the scan than will a healthy organ.
The information from this test is valuable in diagnosing many diseases, including cancer. Because this test shows internal areas that are not visible on standard X-rays, radionuclide scanning can also help identify problems very early in the progression of a disease.
      Although radiation is used in this scanning technique, the test is very safe. The actual dose of radiation you receive is quite low and stays in your body only for a short time. Drinking plenty of fluids after your scan will help to eliminate any radioactive material from your system.

How to Reduce Risk Form X Ray

   Consumers have an important role in reducing radiation risks from medical X-rays. FDA recommends these steps:


     Ask your health care professional how an X-ray will help. How will it help find out what's wrong or determine your treatment? Ask if there are other procedures that might be lower risk but still allow a good assessment or treatment for your medical situation.


      Don't refuse an X-ray. If your health care professional explains why it is medically needed, then don't refuse an X-ray. The risk of not having a needed X-ray is greater than the small risk from radiation.


      Don't insist on an X-ray. If your health care professional explains there is no need for an X-ray, then don't demand one.


      Tell the X-ray technologist in advance if you are, or might be, pregnant.


      Ask if a protective shield can be used. If you or your children are getting an X-ray, ask whether a lead apron or other shield should be used.


      Ask your dentist if he/she uses the faster (E or F) speed film for X-rays. It costs about the same as the conventional D speed film and offers similar benefits with a lower radiation dose. Using digital imaging detectors instead of film further reduces radiation dose.


      Know your X-ray history. "Just as you may keep a list of your medications with you when visiting the doctor, keep a list of your imaging records, including dental X-rays," says Ohlhaber. When an X-ray is taken, fill out the card with the date and type of exam, referring physician, and facility and address where the images are kept. Show the card to your health care professionals to avoid unnecessary duplication of X-rays of the same body part. Keep a record card for everyone in your family.

The differences of CR and DR

      All sizes and sorts of medical facilities want to make the shift to digital imaging. There are two basic types of imaging processes available for your use, and they are CR, computed radiography, and DR, digital radiography. Understanding their differences and benefits will help you make the right choice for your digital imaging needs.

    Both processes result in digital images appropriate for use in medical offices and hospitals. The CR process has been around for seventeen years longer than DR, and DR is generally more costly than CR to set up in terms of equipment, its installation and other related costs. Because it is a newer technology, DR usually requires the purchase of brand new equipment. That equipment has to fit into radiography rooms that were built with different equipment in mind, and so sometimes construction costs for retrofitting the existing room is needed.

    Another difference between CR and DR is the speed of imaging. Because CR requires extra steps in the process of digital imaging it is slower than DR in imaging speed. However, newly developed CR processes have dramatically shortened the amount of time from taking the image to seeing the image. Speed is obviously reduced if you have to adjust equipment to take different kinds of digital images, and that, along with a lower number of patients being seen at smaller clinics, could make CR a more cost effective but no less efficient choice for digital image processing at smaller medical facilities.

    In terms of portability, both CR and DR processes can be utilized away from the home office. However, CR currently allows you more choices in terms of taking images of patients lying or sitting down, which is currently not possible with DR.

     The CR process uses a cassette for digital image data collection. The DR process uses a collection plate and does not use cassettes, giving a cost savings in this regard. Collection plates are more costly than cassettes, which is a consideration if you are using them in ways where breakage is more likely to occur.

     In terms of the quality of images produced using these processes, digital images still do not offer quite the resolution available with film images. Even so, DR offers better resolution currently than does CR, although newer technologies are beginning to bridge that gap. Because the images are digital, they both allow for image enhancement.

     Medical facilities will also want to determine the radiation used to effect the digital imaging processes. At this time, DR uses less radiation to gather digital data than does CR.

     One thing is certain: both CR and DR are considerably faster than film in producing images, and those images produced can be stored in a fraction of the space used for film image storage. Perlong Medical can help you by providing information about DR processes suitable for your medical facility.

The importance of after-sales service

      For most of country hospitals, there are several emphasis when they purchase large medical equipments, such as digital x ray machine, mobile x ray machine,mobile c arm x ray machine.    First, pay attention to system full function. It is also that one equipment can meet every department diversity demand; Second, high equipment stability and ensure long time of continuous operation: Third, input and output maximization by the least cost to get more features and value; Fourth, Guarantee service. Basic hospitals are lack of professional and technical person and so require manufacturers to provide better service on the basic of simple and convenient equipments.

     Obviously, country hospitals all increase medical equipment purchasing from medical reform. But equipment research and development is not enough. It doesn’t have after-service and training and this is main reason that country hospitals can purchase it but they won’t use it.

     Recently, after-sales service problems of basic medical equipments have already been one of the most concern. Most of enterprises only sell equipments and don't take charge training and maintenance.

      Basic medical market not only require medical equipment enterprises to offer simple and convenient device but also there are someone to fix it when equipments are broken. So after-sales service is key factor. At present, some products can realize network synchronization and instruct maintenance but there are hardware problems and need relevant person to solve it in time.

       According to experts, after-sales service importance will exceed sale when you get certain market share. Therefore your sales is accumulated and have to protect your customers by after-service and maintain customers.

Conventional X-ray diagnosis device application

   The diagnosis device of conventional X-rays used is conventional way of observing that how the human body morphology change. It has been decisive role of diagnosticing many disease. X-ray diagnosis device is attention to improve quality. At the same time, it makes a progress in system, including adopt X-CT tomography and imaging photography. For adopting to different requirments of clinical, it appears not only several universal diagnosis bed, but also has all kinds of special X-ray diagnosis device, the usual is:

First, fluorescence camera device
It is a image miniature technology of projecting after the transmission x-ray on the screen and it is also indirect photography and can be applied in career inspection. It can be installed in car with x-ray device and make flow collective X-ray inspection.

Second, Breast photography device
 Use soft x-ray to examinate low contrast device of mammary gland, fat and connective tissue fiber and can diagnostic early breast cancer or other diseases.

Third, Mobile x-ray equipment
Mobile x-ray device can be used at surgery, and pediatric. Now, many high frequency x-ray equipments are appied in most of places, such as mobile x ray machine,high frequency mobile x ray machine.

Fourth, Dental photography equipment
  It is used in tooth system photography in oral cavity and can get the whole image of face and double jaws. In dental x-rays, use narrow gap X-ray, radiation of patients getting is lowest.

Fifth, Craniocerebral photography device
It is a x-rays device that used in head and can be used with high powerX-ray generatorand ensure that make rapid continuous photography in cerebral angiomas.

Sixth, Pediatric photography device
It is a x-rays photography equipment which designed for children and use special device to ensure exposure and breathing synchronization.

Seventh, the nervous system camera device
Eighth, urinary system camera device
It should be set up special urinary bed in accordance with urinary system characteristics.

Introduction to X-ray Detectors(2)

    An X-ray can give all of its energy to an electron (a process called photo-electric absorption), or it can give some of its energy (a process called Compton scattering), or it can scatter without losing any energy (a process called Rayleigh scattering). The probability associated with each of these kinds of scattering depends on the energy of the X-ray photon, the bound state the electron is in, and the scattering angle. For the X-ray energies of most interest to X-ray astronomy, photo-electric absorption is much more likely than either kind of scattering.


      So, when an X-ray stops in a detector, it has given all of its energy to one electron. That electron can rattle around in the detector and give energy to other electrons. In some materials, these electrons will have enough energy to be free of their host atoms. If an electric field is applied, these electrons can be collected and counted. The number of electrons collected tells you the energy that was deposited. Such detectors are called ionization detectors.


      Another approach is to measure heat. All those excited electrons would rather go back to their original energy. They want to return to what is called the ground state. Through scattering with other electrons or with vibrations in the solid itself, they can lose that extra energy. But that energy has to go somewhere. What is does is heat the solid and increase its temperature. If you measure the change in temperature, you can measure how much energy the X-ray originally had.

Introduction to X-ray Detectors(1)

The quest of X-ray astronomy is to be able to detect a weak source against a fairly strong background. Principally because of the relative weakness of the sources, integrating detectors (such as film) have not found a place in cosmic X-ray astronomy. Source detection is done on a photon-by-photon basis. A flux of one photon per square centimeter per second (in the 1-10 keV range) observed at Earth constitutes a bright cosmic X-ray source!
      X-rays, just like any other kind of light, can be thought of as either electromagnetic waves or as massless particles. Both ways are right -- this is known as duality. The way we use to think about X-rays in a given context is the way that makes the problem the easiest. Thus, when we talk about optics or dispersive spectrometers we will talk about waves, because in these cases we need so see how the waves will interact with surfaces and interfaces, and how they will combine and interfere with each other. When we speak of non-dispersive spectrometers, however, it makes sense to talk about particles of light, called photons.
      So how do we measure the energy of an X-ray photon? We need the X-ray to give all its energy to some kind of detector. That energy will change something in the detector and, by measuring that change, we can determine the energy of the incident X-ray. X-rays interact strongly with electrons. You may know that lead is good at blocking X-rays. Well, that's because each lead atom has 82 electrons and lead is a metal, so the atoms are packed together pretty close. Lead stops X-rays because it has a large electron density.

What is high blood pressure?

       What it is.High blood pressure occurs when small blood vessels in the body narrow. The narrowed path causes the blood to exert too much pressure against the vessel walls. This makes the heart work harder. Over time, high blood pressure can enlarge and damage the heart. Having high blood pressure increases your risk for developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and other serious health problems.
      How it's diagnosed.The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked. Your doctor or healthcare provider will measure your blood pressure using a blood pressure monitor called a sphygmomanometer. This is a painless test.
      How it's treated.If you have high blood pressure, you may need to make changes to your lifestyle as part of your treatment. These can include any of the following that may apply to you: losing weight, eating a healthier diet, limiting alcohol, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly. Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to help lower your blood pressure.
      Your heart pumps blood though blood vessels to all parts of your body. Your blood pressure is the force your blood exerts against the walls of your blood vessels. The pressure depends on how forcefully your heart pumps and how wide or relaxed your blood vessels are. The more narrow your vessels are, the higher the blood pressure is inside them. The higher your blood pressure, the harder your heart has to work to pump your blood.
      Blood pressure goes up and down naturally throughout the day. When you're relaxed or sleeping, your blood pressure goes down. When you're active or exercising, your blood pressure rises. On average, during most of your waking hours, your blood pressure stays about the same. When it goes up to a certain level and stays up, you have high blood pressure or what doctors call hypertension.
      To lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for serious health problems, you need to understand what high blood pressure is, how doctors diagnose and treat it, and what steps you might take to prevent it. You've come to the right place to get answers to the questions that you have about high blood pressure.

Image fusion wil promote medical image development

    From PET/CT developed in 2003, medical image has been in the trend of fusion continually. As one of the fastest discipline, in recent several years, radiation, ultrasound and nuclear medicine have achieved the rapid development, but there are less and less reling on a single imaging technology to diagnose and it more depends on multiple imaging results to observe and compare in different image, so that get comprehensive image diagnosis result.


      In past, we want to the fusion, now we are doing fusion and it is fused in the future. At present, comprehensive image is more and more important and fuse different image advantage and improve the comprehensive level of subject and increase medical imaging competitiveness and it is good for promote sustainable development of medical image industry.

     Recently, fusion trend of medical image has been obvious gradually and it is less and less reling on a single imaging examination technology to make the diagnosis. In addition, medical image fusion has not only meet itself development needs and meet medical clinical diagnosis demands but also it can observe and compare and analyse in different images so that it can provide with image information of different angle and so make the correct diagnosis.


      Medical image fusion is that medical information fusion and information fusion technology is applied in medical imaging fields. In the other words, using computer technology do digital integrated treatment for image information obtained from various imaging examination.


      Image fusion need better fusion, including all kinds of medical imaging diagnostic technology, such as x-rays, ultrasound, nuclear science, optical and play different image technology advantage fully and make up for the shortage of single check imaging. Fusion technology can be devide into two parts: One is belong to diagnosis and the other exists for treatment. As the diagnosis of fusion technology, it appears vascular Computed Tomography, Vascular MR; On treatment, there are intervention study and ultrasound doing fusing; Even, the X-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (mri) together for treatment.


      But if medical fusion want to get breakthrough development, it needs to be established in the digital network. Data network provide with technology method and technology platform for improving the diagnostic efficiency and quality of the diagnosis.


      From the global Global medical imaging market demand to see, the market demands of some developed countries have already been close to the saturated, but in developing countries, especially Latin America, the Middle East, southeast Asia and Africa, their market demands are still large. According to related data, in 2011, the total market of our country medical image equipments achieved 1.82 billion dollars and it is forecasted that it will achieve 2.65 billion dollars.


      China government has promoted basic-level medical development and pull market demand of ultrasound, X-ray machine, DR image equipment, but the future medical development will give priority to the primary medical treatment and senior medical treatment. Therefore, medical imaging equipmenthas increased in the field of high medical treatment.

What Is RDW on a Blood Test? (2)

Normal Reference Range for RDW Blood Test
      Normal RDW values are between 11 and 14 percent, with an optimum RDW value range of 13 percent. When RDW values rise above normal levels, several disorders become suspect. According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, RDW counts may also play an important role in predicting mortality, especially in patients who have cardiovascular disease and cancer. In fact, patients who test higher than the normal reference range on an RDW test may suffer more health risks than those patients whose RDW values are lower.


      Anisocytosis
      Anisocytosis is diagnosed when the RDW levels in a blood test indicate excessively high values of variably shaped red blood cells. In the book "Diagnostic Hematology," author Norman Beck explains that the presence of anisocytosis in a diagnostic blood test is so common that it is often dismissed as a component while making a diagnosis. But, breakthroughs in medicine have shed new light on the importance of anisocytosis during patient evaluation. When anisocytosis is measured against other blood cell values, the high RBC values can help make a better determination of the type of anemia present in a patient.


      Consult Your Health Care Provider
      Blood tests(hematology analyzer machine) and their results are a piece of the overall diagnostic picture and are not meant to be the sole tool used for diagnosis or prognosis of illness. Consulting with your health care provider for a full physical as well as an assessment of symptoms is the best method of understanding your blood test results.

What Is RDW on a Blood Test? (1)

     If your physician has diagnosed you with a type of anemia or iron deficiency (with a hematology analyzer), then somewhere along the line you must have had a blood test that reflected an abnormal RDW count. Your RDW levels, along with a combination of a few other important blood counts, are what help your physician figure out just what type of anemia you have, and why it has manifested. HIP Health Plan of New York explains that there are more than 400 known types of anemia, which can be further broken down into subgroups relating to blood loss, poor red-cell production and the demise of red blood cells.
 
      Related Searches:Blood Lipids
      Blood Panel

      What Does RDW Stand For?
      RDW is the abbreviation for "red blood cell distribution width." According to Lab Tests Online, RDW calculates the varying sizes of red blood cell (RBC) volume in a blood sample. An RDW test is usually performed as part of a CBC, or complete blood count.


      RDW and MCV
      It is virtually impossible to discuss the RDW aspect of a blood test without including MCV, or mean corpuscle value. MCV goes hand in hand with red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in terms of anemia and other hematology disorders, and the values of both are influenced by each other. For instance, low MCV levels in combination with normal RDW may point to chronic disease, while low MCV combined with low RDW can denote iron deficiency. In the same respect, a normal MCV reading in combination with normal RDW may represent a chronic disorder, and normal MCV combined with high RDW can signify a B12 deficiency. Chronolab.com also reveals that when MCV levels are high and RDW is normal, pre-leukemia may be present. Both high MCV and high RDW may mean that a patient is experiencing folate deficiency.


      RDW Calculation
      RDW is calculated by dividing the standard deviation (SD) by the mean corpuscle volume (MCV) and then multiplying that result by 100. The standard deviation represents the volume of erythrocytes or red blood cells that are in the blood smear. According to Beckman Coulter, the equation for the RDW calculation is RDW = SD / MCV x 100.

      Some other details about the RDW we will discuss the next day---Perlong Medical.

Is it better X-ray perspective or X-ray scan?

X-ray perspective: X-rays formates on the screen through examination parts of human body;

X-ray scan: X-rays formates on the film through examination parts of human body. Some people think that the cough 

and fever shouldn’t scan because of much radiation, but the X-ray perspective is more safe, But the concept is wrong.

X-ray scan is the first choice of chest examination.

But the radiation of X-ray perspectiveis much more than X-ray scan. According to related experts, the x-ray dosage

 is 20 ~ 30 times of ordinary scan which adult accepts chest examination. But the children don't cooperate with

 because of crying; The doctors usually extend the time of perspective to observe lesions and accepted x-rays 

dosage is more than theory. Therefore, x-rays scan is the best choice of chest check and perspective is a 

beneficial supplement of scan.

Most of hospitals of our country has cancelled perspective

On the one hand, definition of perspective image is far worse than scan and is easy to miss tiny lesions and 

subtle structure; On the other hand, perspective cann't record the image of lesions and is bad for reviewing and 

contrasting. In developed countries of America and Japan, they have eliminated perspective; A few countries have 

decreased the utilization rate that use this method. At present, In some parts of China large hospitals have 

eliminated perspective and so advised that please try to choose scan and not perspective.

X-rays used in medical filed

 X-rays refer to radiation, waves or particles that travel through the air like light or radio signals. Medical x ray energy is high enough that some radiation passes through objects (such as internal organs, body tissues, and clothing) and onto x-ray detectors (such as film or a detector linked to a computer monitor). In general, objects that are more dense (such as bones and calcium deposits) absorb more of the radiation from the x-rays and don't allow as much to pass through them. These objects leave a different image on the detector than less dense objects. Specially trained or experienced physicians can read these images to diagnose medical conditions or injuries.
Medical x-rays are used in many types of examinations and procedures. Some examples include
1. x-ray radiography :to find orthopedic damage, tumors, pneumonias, foreign objects, etc.
2. mammography :to image the internal structures of breasts.
3. CT (computed tomography) :to produce cross-sectional images of the body.
4. Fluoroscopy :to dynamically visualize the body for example to see where to remove plaque from coronary arteries or where to place stents to keep those arteries open.
5. Radiation therapy in cancer treatment.
Medical x-rays have increased the ability to detect disease or injury early enough for a medical problem to be managed, treated, or cured. When applied and performed appropriately, these procedures can improve health and may even save a person’s life.
But x-ray energy also has a small potential to harm living tissue. The most significant risks are:
1. A small increase in the possibility that a person exposed to x-rays will develop cancer later in life.
2. Cataracts and skin burns only at very high levels of radiation exposure and in only very few procedures.
The risk of developing cancer from radiation exposure is generally small, and it depends on at least three factors—the amount of radiation dose, the age at exposure, and the sex of the person exposed:
1. The lifetime risk of cancer increases the larger the dose and the more x-ray exams a patient undergoes.
2. The lifetime risk of cancer is larger for a patient who received x-rays at a younger age than for one who receives them at an older age.
3. Women are at a somewhat higher lifetime risk than men for developing radiation-associated cancer after receiving the same exposures at the same ages.
Although medical x-rays are harmful to human, we can reduce or avoid the harm from them. When you are at examination or procedure, there are some suggestions followed to reduce your radiation risks.
1. Keeping a “medical x-ray history” with the names of your radiological exams or procedures, the dates and places where you had them, and the physicians who referred you for those exams.
2. Making your current healthcare providers aware of your medical x-ray history.
3. Asking your healthcare provider about whether or not alternatives to x-ray exams would allow the provider to make a good assessment or provide appropriate treatment for your medical situation.
4. Providing interpreting physicians and referring physicians with recent x-ray images and radiology reports.