Digital imaging in conventional diagnostic radiology: status and trends

Digital techniques, i.e. techniques using microcomputers of minicomputers, are getting increasingly common in so-called conventional radiography. These nonreconstructive techniques are referred to here as 'digital, direct-imaging radiography' in order to contrast them with the reconstructive techniques of computerized tomography. Digitalisation of imaging and image processing operation and control will change the jobs of the radiologist and radiological assistants in such manner that only X-ray units with film-foil systems or with X-ray image intensification should be classified as conventional systems. Digital and conventional systems differ in that digital techniques imply the possibility of establishing data pools which may eventually be developed into a digital image interconnection and archiving system. The authors first describe the general system in which the digital imaging systems must be integrated on a medium-term and long-term basis and then proceed to discuss digital imaging and image processing in some more detail. (orig./WU)