Eastman Kodak Company will be demonstrating its award-winning leadership in digital imaging with the launch of a radically new digital radiography system—the KODAK DIRECTVIEW DR 9500 System—at the Arab Health 2007 show and congress here this week.
The DR 9500 incorporates innovative features that follow in the footsteps of the KODAK DIRECTVIEW DR 7500 System, which won a design award for innovation at the CeBIT technology fair in Germany earlier this year.
Kodak’s new DR 9500 system breaks away from traditional configurations that involve detectors mounted in a table and/or a wall stand. Instead, the DR 9500 system has a ceiling-mounted U-arm that contains both a tube and detector to deliver unprecedented mobility and operational flexibility. The KODAK DR 9500 system is scheduled to be available worldwide in the second quarter of 2007.
This system easily moves around the patient to facilitate patient positioning and to enhance technologist convenience and productivity. For example, it allows technologists to capture images of the left and right side of the body without moving the patient. It is ideal for a wide variety of general radiography procedures and offers enhanced speed to the operator and comfort to patients with limited mobility.
Like all other KODAK DR systems, the DR 9500 delivers superb image quality thanks to Kodak’s proprietary image processing software, and a large detector pixel matrix of 3000 x 3000 (143 micron pixels) to capture sharp, detailed images with high DQE and low noise. It also offers the same easy-to-use operator interface featured in Kodak’s other CR and DR systems and features a fully integrated system operator console.
“Our digital radiography portfolio illustrates our dedication to innovation and our willingness to develop solutions that meet the divergent requirements and budgets of healthcare providers of all sizes,” said Sujay Suvarna, Product Manager, Digital Capture Solutions, G. Russia, Middle East & Africa, Eastman Kodak Company. “We can deliver a customized solution based on the patient exam applications, room size, volume and other considerations of each healthcare facility.”
Kodak’s Portfolio Offers Three Systems
Kodak offers one of the broadest product lines of digital radiography systems in the industry. In addition to the DR 9500, Kodak’s portfolio includes the KODAK DIRECTVIEW DR 7500 and DR 3000 systems.
The DR 7500 can be configured as a single- or dual-detector system. The system’s wall stand features a unique retractable Bucky capable of three-axis movement and a fixed, elevating table with four-way float provides flexible patient positioning. The table Bucky can be extended from the table to accommodate extremity exams.
The compact DR 3000 system is designed to meet the needs and budget of a broad range of healthcare facilities including mid-size hospitals, outpatient imaging centers and orthopaedic clinics. It features an optional moveable table and a floor-mounted stand that does not require wall mounts or ceiling suspension provisions. This creates greater placement flexibility and reduces the cost of installation.
Advantages of the DR 9500 New Design
The new design of the DR 9500 offers these advantages:
• Two operator interfaces on the U-arm allow technologists to change the x-ray generator parameters and technique settings without leaving the patient or the exam room. Patient data from a radiology or hospital information system can be transferred (via DICOM worklist) to the system’s operator console, as well as to the operator interfaces on the U-arm.
• Autopositioning enables greater productivity and ease of use. With the push of a button, the equipment will move into the preprogrammed position for the next exam.
• Support for both manual and motorized movements enables easy movement for each exam while a new option called “intelligent motion” allows for greater flexibility and efficiency during positioning.
• The Bucky and tube are always aligned to enable faster positioning with enhanced comfort for patients, especially those with limited mobility.
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About Kodak Health Group:
Kodak’s Health Group, with 2005 revenues of $2.65 billion, is a world leader in supplying the medical and dental professions with advanced healthcare products, services and information technology solutions. Its broad portfolio includes picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), healthcare information systems, computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR) systems, laser imagers, mammography and oncology systems, x-ray film systems, dental imaging products, and a range of consulting—as well as repair and maintenance—services.
Kodak recently entered into an agreement to sell the Health Group to Onex Healthcare Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Onex Corporation. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Onex is one of Canada’s largest corporations with a significant and rapidly growing group of healthcare companies. Subject to regulatory and other approvals, it is anticipated that the sale will close in the first half of 2007.
For more information about Kodak’s Health Group, contact your Kodak representative or visit www.kodak.com/go/health..
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