A complete guide to portable medical X-ray machines

What is a portable medical X-ray machine and what are the benefits of owning one? Here’s a complete guide for radiographers, vets and dental professionals.

X-rays have been around over 100 years. First discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895, this technique for looking at images of bones become one of history’s greatest technological advances.

The idea of a portable medical X-ray machine become more commonplace during World War 1 when Marie Curie joined the war effort. As a nurse at the front of the battlefield, she went around with a small car treating wounded soldiers. Each car contained X-ray equipment which would help take images of the soldiers to aid in giving better medical treatment.

While many of the 150 women who helped Marie Curie done an amazing job, many, including Marie, developed cancer as a result of her exposure to radium. However, it was these key moments in the history of portable X-ray machines that helped develop the technology to make it safer and more effective moving forward. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about portable X-ray machines for the medical, dental and veterinary industries – including why your facility needs one.

What is a portable medical X-ray machine?
Essentially, a portable X-ray machine is an X-ray unit that’s smaller than a fixed one and can be moved. It allows radiographers, vets and dental professionals to take X-ray images of patients without having to call them into a special lead-lined room.

The principle is still the same, whereby it emits X-rays through a person or animal’s body, and it’s reflected back, showing up on the image as white.

Portable X-ray machines are often used by professionals who have mobile practices or in busy medical facilities where space is an issue or there’s a distinct lack of access to equipment.

The benefits of having a portable medical X-ray machine in your medical facility
Whether you’re using a portable medical X-ray machine for veterinary, dental or doctoring purposes, this technology comes with a lot of benefits – including:

• Greater mobility and portability – hospital trips or visits to the radiology department for chest or skeletal X-rays can often cause more harm than good for the patient. A portable medical X-ray machine can be folded up into smaller shapes and easily transported to a home. Similarly, if the veterinary practice is extremely busy, you can find a different room to conduct the X-ray on a poorly pet.
• Better speed – portable medical X-ray machines eliminate long waits and processing times, which will lead to a happier patient or pet.
• Safer operation – radiation exposure is a real health concern with traditional medical imaging equipment. However, the shield mounted on the front part of a portable X-ray device helps to protect both patient and user from scattered radiation.
• Cost-effective – constantly using ambulances, taxis and the resource of staff costs money. Taking the X-ray machine to the person will cut out the middle.
• Improved patient care quality – people and energetic pets don’t have time to wait around for the film from a regular X-ray machine to be developed. A portable medical X-ray machine provides accurate and fast results via phosphor plates and cassettes. These can then be enhanced using the workstation attached. It’s ideal for sports teams, the military, mobile vets, local GPs and other professionals who want to give their patients a quick, accurate result on-site.

Types of portable medical X-ray machines
There are various types of portable medical X-ray machines. Below, we’ve included some of the most cutting-edge examples. Plus, you’ll also find out about how much portable X-ray machines cost.

Portable X-ray machine for hand surgery
The Phoenix 3000 is the revolutionary portable X-ray machine for capturing hand images, freeing up space for other patients with more serious body injuries to use fixed ones. Featuring a support arm that replaces a conventional hand surgery table, it makes the whole process hassle-free for both the patient and the surgeon.

Portable X-ray machine for remote screening
The ACCORD DR40 is the digital radiographic motorised unit that is battery powered. It can be easily transported and positioned, making it perfect for general radiology, sports medicine, emergency situations, orthopaedics, intensive care units and operating rooms.

Portable mobile radiographic unit for daily hospital routines
The GMM MAC has a high-frequency generator and is easy to transport from room to room. It’s extremely compact, lightweight and works perfectly for examinations in intensive care, first aid, orthopaedic and operating rooms.

Digital mobile X-ray system
The AeroDR X30 speeds up workflow by performing X-rays in and around the hospital or medical facility. It’s the perfect type of portable X-ray machine for patients who are too fragile to move from room to room. X-ray examinations can easily be carried out bedside.

For more details on portable X-ray machines or to arrange a demo, give us a call on 01902 637333 or email sales@wolversonx-ray.co.uk.

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