Different x-ray machines and modalities come at different price points. Technology accounts for much of the cost variations.

So, which technology is worth the cost, and which isn’t? If your practice is thinking about purchasing a veterinary x-ray unit, here are some considerations…

Pros of Film Veterinary X-ray Systems

Film radiographs have been a tried-and-true method for a long time. It’s what many veterinarians learned to interpret images on—and some practitioners find that by comparison, digital images are easy to “overinterpret” or find false positives for certain lesions. 

Additionally, film x-ray systems and accessories often come with a cheaper purchase price. Like any technology, the price of older generations or models goes down as newer tech is developed.

Cons of Film Veterinary X-ray Systems

This tends to be the most time-consuming method of taking radiographs. Each film must be individually run through a developer. This developing process takes time in and of itself—and then that time can be compounded because a vet team must wait until a film is developed to know whether retakes are needed.

Plus, there is the added cost and maintenance of the developer, chemicals, and even the x-ray films that must be continuously purchased and eventually disposed of properly. There must be a separate dark room for developing images. And more moving parts mean more opportunities for something to break down. 

A practice must also have enough room to store all their physical radiographs. There’s no backup copy if anything happens to the original, and sharing a film is much less convenient than sharing a digital file.

Pros of Veterinary CR Systems

CR (computed radiography) is a form of digital radiography, meaning it produces a digital image rather than a physical one. This makes storage and sharing of images simpler in many ways compared to film.

Images are produced after running the phosphor plate (which captures the image) through a plate reader. While this is typically faster than developing film, it still takes time. Some practices invest in more than one set of plates and readers to help improve efficiency.

Cons of Veterinary CR Systems

Although CR is typically faster than film, there is still time required to run the plate(s) through a plate reader. And for vets who are used to films, there can be a learning curve when adopting digital technology and learning to read digital images that show a high level of detail.

In terms of cost, this is often a middle option between older and newer technology (which could mean it’s more or less expensive, depending on what you’re comparing it to).

Pros of Veterinary DR Systems

DR (direct radiography) is the fastest method of taking a radiograph since there’s no developer or plate reader involved. Instead, the image is captured on a sensor and then directly produced on a screen just seconds after the shot is taken.

This saves time not only by eliminating the developing/reading step entirely but also by letting the team know right away if any retakes are needed. The newest technology is also more likely to have robust options for presets, to help the team set up a study with the right settings and exposure more quickly. 

Digital veterinary software might allow the vet to zoom in or make measurements on the screen when interpreting images.

DR technology also tends to have the smallest footprint, since there’s no need for a separate developer (with its own dedicated dark room) or plate reader—just the generator, table, sensor, and hardware/software for the images. So, this can be a good option for smaller clinics with limited space.

Cons of Veterinary DR Systems

As with many types of veterinary equipment, newer technology tends to come with a higher price tag. However, just like other types of technology like digital cameras or personal computers, the purchase price starts to trend down as it becomes more widely available over the years. Digital x-rays are no exception, and prices have come down a lot since the technology first entered the market.

So, veterinarians might be able to find models within their practice’s budget, including used veterinary digital x-ray machines for sale. It’s also important to consider that a more efficient machine can help increase the number of studies per day or per week, which can help offset the purchase cost.

Which Type of Veterinary X-Ray Unit Is Right for Your Practice?

With all the pros and cons of each in mind, it really comes down to preference. And in addition to film, CR, or DR technology, also consider factors such as…

• Expected x-ray usage or goals for income generated from the new machine.

• Quality of images on all the different sizes of patients you see.

• Financing options.

• Warranty and service plans.

• Availability of replacement parts over the next several years.

• Software costs, updates, reliability, security, and compatibility with practice management software.

Veterinary DR systems certainly offer many advantages. And investing in the newest technology may help in terms of warranties and availability of replacement parts. 

But every modality has its own pros and cons. By considering these, a veterinary practice will have a better understanding of what they’re getting for their money, which will help with choosing the right machine for their individual practice.

Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM