Digital Rewards Film & Chemical purchase promotion

Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc., “DIS” introduces our new Digital Rewards Film & Chemical purchase promotion. This program offers you valuable money saving rewards towards your digital system purchase.

100% of every dollar you spend purchasing film and chemical from DIS will go towards your digital Navigator system purchase. The Digital Bonus Promotion is free. All you need to do is sign up today and purchase your film and chemical from DIS and you will begin receiving your digital rewards bonus certificates.

For a two year period after you sign up every time you purchase film and chemicals from DIS you will be earning digital reward credits entitling you to valuable savings on the purchase of your new Digital Navigator system, based on your purchase volume, Up to $5,000 can be accumulated within the 24 month period! This is your big opportunity to save big money on your DR system purchase.

Upon sign-up, DIS film and chemical customers will be awarded a $1,000 sign-up bonus credit towards the purchase of our top of the line digital DR Navigator 3500 Plus System. DIS will also allow a $10,000 trade allowance on your current stationary x-ray system and film processor. With your combined Digital Rewards Credits and trade allowance you could purchase a new Digital Navigator DR-3500 Plus X-ray System for as low as $44,995.00.

Why wait, sign up today and starting saving for tomorrow’s new digital system purchase, after all you’ve earned it, working with those old stinky chemicals, nagging film processors and inconsistent film techniques will be a thing of the past.

Sign up for this valuable free Film & Chemical Purchase Digital Rewards Promotion or call us at 1-800-346-9729 to learn more about our Digital Navigator 3500 Plus system and our film and chemical products.

15 Important Questions to Ask Before Purchasing A Veterinary Digital X-ray System

1) How do I determine which type of digital system is the best fit for my office practice?
A. Practice type stationary
               a. Small animal
               b. Large Animal
               c. Mixed Animal
2) How do I determine which type of digital system is the best fit for my ambulatory or Mobile practice?
A. Practice type ambulatory or mobile
               a. Small animal
               b. Large Animal
               c. Mixed Animal
3) Does the company offer multiple Digital systems?
A. Digital Modalities
               a. DR flat panel
               b. CR
               c. CCD
4) What type Flat panel options does the company offer?
A. DR Flat Panel types
               a. Selenium
               b. Silicon
B. DR Flat Panel Size
               a. 8 X 10”
               b. 10 X 12”
               c. 14 X 17”
5) Is this system Open Architecture?
A. Digital modality Integration
               a. X-ray
               b. Ultrasound
               c. Nuclear medicine
               d. CT.
6)   Will it integrate with my practice management software?
               A. Practice Software integration
                              a. Avamark
                              b. Cornerstone
                              c. DVM solution
                              d. Other
7)  How may the images be stored? 
               A. Image storage
                              a. Dicom
                              b. Tiff
                              c. Bit map
                              d. Jpeg
                              E. Other
8). How will I be able to access the images?
        A. Image access
                       a. Network drive
                       b. E-mail
                       c. Wireless
                       d. Server
                       e. workstation
9). What are the differences in image quality?
        A. Image quality measurement
                       a. DR flat panel 3-4 line pair/ mm
                       b. CR systems 4-10 line pair/mm
                       c. CCD system 3-5 line pair/mm 
10)  How do differences in image quality relate to my practice needs?
               A. Image resolution requirements
                              a. Based on anatomical size and region
                              b. Is Cost Verses quality a real issue
11)  What level of service and support can I expect?
               A. Sales service support short term
                              a. Specialize in Veterinary radiological medicine
                              b. Years of experience working with Veterinary Medicine
                              c. Capable of making the choices for your practice
               B. Sales service support long term
                              a. Specialize in Veterinary radiological medicine with a history of performance
                              b. Years of experience working with Veterinary Medicine with success
                              c. Capable of making the right choices for your practice now and will they be around in the future
12)  Warranty with the system?
               A. Warranty
                              a. Parts
                              b. Labor
                              c. Phone Support
13)  Determine the cost of a system?
               A. Film Verses Digital Costs
                              a. Lease rate and cost
                              b. Digital savings over film usage
14)  Return on investment?
               A. radiology Positive cash flow
                              a. Profit after lease payment
                              b. Profit after lease is through
15)  What do veterinarians that have bought this system say about the product and the service?
               A. Reference list
                              a. DR Flat panel
                              b. CR system
                              c. CCD system

DIS, with 30 years of veterinary radiology expertise has the knowledge and the digital equipment product selection for you to make the right Digital radiographic system purchase for your practice.

Shipping and Receiving Logistics for Veterinary Facilities

How many times have we heard, I want it now, I want it in good condition, and I want it shipped free.  These may be some of the thoughts we have when we order product from a vendor.  We all have horror stories of what may have gone wrong with a shipment, the item was broken, damaged, or maybe it never showed up at all.

We seldom think about all the products and supplies shipped to our business every day that logistically went as smooth and trouble free as the way we anticipated it would.

Every day Diagnostic Imaging Systems ships a large number of packages via UPS & FED EX  to our valued customers.  We are a flexible shipper and offer a variety of shipping methods and options from overnight and regular ground deliveries to international customs export capability.  DIS is small enough to get personally involved when a shipment doesn’t go as anticipated

From time to time we will offer shipping tips and observations that affect the flow of product from Diagnostic Imaging Systems to our valued customers.

These shipping tips may help you with your shipping situations.

1.  Use packing material around whatever you ship so that it can survive the trip.  Solid Styrofoam is best, newspaper and peanuts can work but be sure to compress enough to sufficiently protect the item, peanuts have a tendency to shift during shipping so make sure you use plenty to fill all the crevices.

2.  A single strip of packing tape to hold a box together may seem cost effective but may not hold together long enough for the contents inside the box to arrive undamaged.

If for some reason you need to return an item to Diagnostic Imaging Systems please call us for a return authorization form with RA number before you ship the item back.  Once you receive the RA form and have the RA paperwork completed and put inside the box to be returned you are ready to pack.  When the product and RA arrives and is inspected store credit will be issued.

Importance of X-ray Unit Calibrations

The importance of a regular calibration on your portable X-ray machine can not be over stated. Many problems can be detected early and easily fixed when the machine is on a regular calibration schedule.

As the x-ray unit ages the x-ray tube inside your machine will tend drop it’s output efficiency compared to where it was originally when received from the manufacturer or even from the previous years calibration. As these machines age the mA will drop causing the kVp to increase which will reduce the image detail contrast. Producing the desired detail contrast will require recalibration of the unit or fiddling with the technique settings. Using a machine which is out of calibration will shorten the life of the machine while also making numerous exposures required to produce a quality image. We at Diagnostic Imaging Systems are adept at unit recalibration.

There are other factors which will cause an out of calibration condition. DIS has the experience to look for causes if something is not right. Some causes can be simple while others could be catastrophic to the machine if not detected and repaired in time. A good example would be the oil level inside the HV tank assembly. If the oil is low the units will arc internally and we have found them to then damage the power board and also the HV tank assembly to the point of needing new ones.

All states require regular calibrations to be performed and documentation provided to have the machines certified for use in the clinic. Failure to do so can result in revocation of your x-ray license plus fines imposed by the state. We have received many machines in for calibration because of them not passing state inspections or because they can not provide the necessary documentation proving one was done. Some states will require a history of records showing that the machine has been calibrated regularly.

So while you may think that the time and cost it takes to get your machine calibrated is too expensive, in the long run it will turn out to be more costly if not done. The proper care and maintenance of your machine will enhance your practice with good quality images the first time saving you time and money. Calibrations are very affordable when you consider the cost of a replacement HV tank or power board or even a new machine.

Use of a Grid or No Grid

A grid is a plate that consists of parallel spaced bars of lead. Lead is a very effective absorber of x-rays. The interspace material does not appreciably absorb x-rays.

The purpose of the grid is to absorb scattered x-rays between the patient and the film. The scattered x-rays are created within the patient by an x-ray tissue interaction that results in the conversion of the incoming x-ray to an electron and a "new" x-ray with somewhat less energy moving in a new direction. In essence, the x-ray is deflected off its original straightline course. If this redirected "new" x-ray successfully exits the patient, it delivers exposure to the film that is untrue relative to the anatomical structure from which it originated. 

A fundamental assumption in the formation of the x-ray image is that x-rays travel in straight lines from the origin in the x-ray tube through the patient to the film. Most grids are focused grids. This means that the lead bars are angled in the same plane as the x-rays coming from the tube. The grid is placed between the patient and the film. Most often in small animal systems, the grid is incorporated into the table positioned just above the film tray. Grids can also be purchased that are laid on top or independently affixed to the cassette.

Grids are quite effective in removing the scattered x-rays from the thickness greater than 10cm. However, if you decide to use a grid for the area in question, it may be easier to use it for all thicknesses rather than to have to remember to activate it or deactivate it.

If you are interested in learning more about this subject, call DIS at 1-800-346-9729 or e-mail joe@vetxray.com.

Digital Radiology Choices Pt.2

Picking up where we left off last week...

Is a CCD type DR system the right choice for your practice?
DR flat panel and CCD digital systems have the feel of a digital camera. As soon as you take the shot, the image appears on the screen after a short processing time.

The main benefit of DR is the speed of image generation and the potential for increased throughput through the radiology room. There are two competing types of DR systems in the veterinary market: [CCD] type camera systems and selenium or silicon flat-panel detectors [FPD].

CCD type DR systems are the most economical of any veterinary digital system when combined with a new x-ray machine.The image quality of these systems is good but requires an increase in dose over CR and flat panel Dr systems.

Many veterinarians in the market for a new digital system are buying CCD type digital radiography systems if they need a new X-ray machine. These veterinarians find CCD attractive because most CCD cameras are sold as a detector/CCD camera combination that is just a bit more expensive than a CR machine plus a new X-ray machine.

CCD systems are sold through local X-ray distributors, national distributors and national veterinary equipment distributors. The long-term costs of a CCD system is less than a flat-panel DR because these CCD systems are sold with attractively priced service contracts.

As with all digital systems, who you purchase your system from is just as important as the system your purchase. Be sure you are buying from a company with a proven track record of performance. Companies selling CCD systems seem to come and go these days.

Is a DR Flat Panel system the right choice for your practice?
Flat panel DR is the type of DR system most commonly found in human hospitals and large veterinary institutions. The image quality from flat panel DR systems varies between vendors but is generally considered to be of high quality throughout this class of detector.

Flat-panel detectors are easily retrofit to existing x-ray tables and are often the DR system of choice for veterinarians who do not need a new x-ray table. Flat-panel detectors have been out of the price range of most veterinarians. Recently, however, we have seen an influx of new panels on the market and the price likely will soon rival many CCD-based systems. 

Veterinarians considering flat panel DR should consider the long-term costs of ownership. Many of these panels have a five year decreasing quality life span and require expensive service contracts. The service contract is strongly recommended with FPD DR systems which can fail and need replacement or rebuilding. Without a service contract you will be out of luck and may need to purchasing a new system.

Flat panel DR systems are sold by many different types of suppliers, national veterinary distributors, Catalog houses and local x-ray dealers. As I have recommended previously my experience and the experience of many of our Veterinarian friends are, when purchasing a any digital system the support provided by the equipment provider and the knowledge they have obtained from many years of veterinary imaging expertise (DIS 30 years) is just as important as the digital system that is purchased. 

Conclusions
There is not enough room here to explain in detail the features and benefits of each digital system so please call DIS and we will answer all your questions in greater detail. The choice is yours, the bottom line as I see it is that in some situations there is more than one appropriate choice. 

Most veterinary facilities who want and need versatility like performing intraoral dental and do not need an x-ray machine will find that our CR is a great choice. 

Veterinarians who need and x-ray machine along with the digital system will find our CCD type system can be a good value plus some systems can be ordered with our intraoral dental option. 

DIS Flat panel detectors use a proven technology that is used in teaching hospitals and large veterinary institutions. Flat panels cost more to purchase and extended warranties cost more than CR or CCD systems.  DR flat panel systems provide the most consistent quality imaging results with the lowest dosages and fastest image viewing times. Some flat panel suppliers recommend replacement because of deteriorating image quality after just five years but we have never experienced this with our systems.