Digital X-Ray Mammography Becoming Preferred Choice of Equipment

An extensive survey on the use of X-ray equipment in European hospitals and imaging centers revealed that the majority of the general radiography equipment currently being used is digital, with over 95% of respondents using a digital radiography (DR) system. The trend to digital in mammography is following suit, with 60% of the mammography specialists surveyed currently using a digital mammography system.

Digital mammography is fast becoming the preferred choice of equipment with an increasing number of hospitals and imaging centers upgrading existing equipment to digital or purchasing a new digital system, according to the market research company, InMedica (Wellingborough, UK). Respondents highlighted a preference for flat panel detectors (used by 40% of respondents) over computed radiography (CR) detectors (used by 20% of respondents) for use with their full-field digital mammography systems. Price was cited as the most common reason why CRs were purchased instead of flat panel detectors (FPDs).

InMedica's survey also found that 30% of mammography specialists felt that by progressing to digital mammography, their work-flow would be greatly improved, with improved image quality and faster development times being mentioned as the major reasons for improvement.

Working in partnership with a number of leading equipment manufacturers, InMedica designed a series of questionnaires to gather direct feedback from doctors specializing in general radiography, fluoroscopy, and mammography. Physician's opinions were gathered on the equipment they were using, the examinations they were performing, and views on system improvement and affect on workflow.

InMedica is the medical research division of IMS Research, a specialist supplier of market research and consultancy services on a wide range of global electronics markets. InMedica regularly publishes detailed research on professional point-of-care markets such as ultrasound, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, medical displays, and infusion pumps; and consumer medical devices such as blood-pressure monitors and heart-rate monitors.

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