Cork radiology group finds Valory DR system offers high image quality at a low dose

The University Hospital Radiology Group Cork is said to be the largest consultant radiology group in the south of Ireland. In 2022, the group decided to upgrade its x-ray equipment from computed radiography to benefit from the advances in digital radiography (DR). For this upgrade, it looked at several different systems and eventually selected the Valory DR solution from Agfa.

The group was looking for a ceiling-mounted system with two detectors fitting in a small 18m² x-ray room, with the detector in the chest stand permanently fixed and directly cabled for power (no charging), a controlled degree of automation between the tube and the table or the chest stand, automatic recording of the radiation dose, easy-to-use software and easy positioning. Above all it was looking for a reliable and cost-effective system producing diagnostic images of the highest quality, states Agfa.

“The Valory system has now been live for over 18 months, with no downtime for any technical reason so far, and we have managed to image every patient referred to our clinic,” commented practice manager Dr James Brennan. “We are very pleased with the system; it is technically advanced, easy to use and the image quality is excellent, as our 18 radiologists have noted. The biggest surprise is the low radiation dose; we did not expect such image quality for such a low dose and this is an unexpected benefit for patients. Also, the dose is embedded on images and is available as DICOM data to include in clinical reports. The system’s Musica imaging software has proven easy to configure and use.”

Picture: The Agfa digital radiography system at University Hospital Radiology Group Cork.

Published on page 9 of the June 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.