Analog systems being a thing of the past, the road to digital technologies has to go through operational functionality, user-friendly data storage and cleanliness in all senses. The imaging plate scanner is one of the most popular digital devices today to help improve operations in a dental care practice. All this, without upsetting too radically the working procedures of dentists who, until recently, still used traditional film.
How does a phosphor plate scanner work?
Compared to the procedure of capturing X-ray images on traditional film, computerized radiology requires the same procedure up to the conversion into an image suitable for diagnostic purposes. Simply put, the image acquisition phase does not change, while the image reading and storage phases offer many advantages.
A phosphor scanner uses thin and flexible plates, handy and available in different formats and sizes to capture paediatric, periapical, bitewing and long bitewing images. The plates are positioned just like traditional film and are often perfectly compatible with standard aligners used for analogue plates.
Thanks to its high sensitivity, the plate allows high quality, detail-packed images to be obtained. Another plus is the minimal x-ray dose compared to the exposure required for traditional radiographic film.
Once exposed, the plate is introduced into a reader, where the process of conversion into a digital X-ray image is automated. After conversion, the phosphors that were used to store the image are erased and the plates can be reused several times.
The typical workflow for the acquisition of digital X-ray images with phosphor plates and subsequent conversion into a digital image consists of the following phases:
- positioning/acquisition;
- reader reservation and scanning;
- viewing;
- sharing and storing.
What are the main benefits of computerized radiology?
First of all, digital technology allows the use of software and hardware both to edit and optimize an image, and for its storage.
Compared to the analogue film technique, with a digital plate any exposure error can be corrected at a later stage and the resulting image can be used for diagnostic purposes. Conversely, a film exposure error cannot be remedied and requires further patient exposure.
The speed of conversion to digital radiography - usually a few seconds, between 4 and 8 - combined with the convenience of not having to leave the chair to develop films optimizes the workflow. The reader is generally very compact and can be installed on a worktop or on the wall if a special bracket is included, as is the case with Hy-Scan, a space-saving and lightweight solution created by MyRay.
Another advantage of digital systems is the total absence of consumables such as film or chemicals, which would have to be purchased regularly and stored in the surgery. A wireless system is also another plus of phosphor plate units compared to the X-ray sensors of direct radiology. Also, the plates used are thinner, ergonomic and easily interchangeable, while an X-ray sensor has a fixed size and is thicker.
Finally, digital images are always available, even remotely, and are always editable using suitable software. It is therefore possible to increase the contrast, sharpness, brightness, as well as filter an image or enlarge it.
What characteristics should be considered before buying a phosphor plate scanner?
Before choosing a model it is advisable to consider many aspects ranging from performance to ergonomics. As a parameter for a cross-sectional comparison we will use the Hy-Scan scanner by MyRay.
First all, image resolution, a key factor in determining the quality of the device, should be greater than 30 pixels/mm. Hy-Scan provides high resolution images of 34 pixels/mm.
Additionally, thanks to the special filters developed to improve the imaging produced by the phosphor plates, Hy-Scan can be used to capture a set of 5 images. Each image is optimised to highlight various anatomical details with different levels of sharpness and contrast, which results in improved diagnoses.
Another great asset to speed up the workflow even more is the possibility of transferring images to your PC via an Ethernet connection. Thanks to a special App, with the system developed by MyRay, the dentist can also view the images on an iPad.
MyRay through the MultiROOM function offers an interesting feature, as it allows remote management of the scanning system (connected to the surgery server). The scan is booked directly from the workstation next to the patient and the images are automatically saved to the patient's medical record. They will be instantly displayed on the PC or on the surgery monitor.
Finally, the ergonomic aspects should also be considered: the more compact the device, the easier its installation close to the chair. The weight is less critical, but if it does not exceed 5 kg, it will also be possible to fix the device ready at hand on the wall.
The special mechanism that feeds the plate through the scanner and allows for no-touch management is also worthy of note. While several models use small rollers to pull the plate, a thin magnetic layer integrated in the plate is an optimal solution to avoid deterioration - often caused by the inevitable presence of dust.
Some models, such as the one proposed by MyRay, are supplied with extremely useful accessories such as a portable container where the plates can be stored in an tidy and safe manner.
