Field Notes
CR to DR Upgrade: What Actually Changes in the Room
2026-09-01 · digital upgrade · DR · glassless
You keep the generator and the stand. You change the detector, the software, and the workflow. Here is how we decide 10×12 vs 14×17 vs 17×17 vs 17×48.
Most clinics do not need a new room. They need the cassette tray to stop being the bottleneck. A cesium DR panel that fits the existing bucky, acquisition software that matches the specialty, and a PACS path that does not orphan old studies. That is the heart of a film or CR to digital upgrade.
Panel size follows the exam. Podiatry weight-bearing work uses 10×12 (Momentum DR from 20/20 Imaging and Konica Minolta, or Rayence 1012WCC). Chiropractic full-spine work uses 17×17 or a dedicated 17×48. Veterinary tables are almost always 17×17. On the consult we size the detector to the tray and the work so the room stays accurate and comfortable for staff.
Connection type is the second decision: tethered (always powered, simple), wireless (positioning freedom), or hybrid (both). Glass-free construction is the current detector keyword — lighter, more durable, same cassette footprint. See glassless DR panels.
Software should match the market. Opal-RAD is the veterinary line. Human chiropractic, podiatry, and medical rooms are typically on Symmetry-Sync or Fujifilm FDX Console. We will recommend the viewer that belongs with that room — not whichever license happened to be on the last sheet.
Need this applied to a specific room? Request a Quote or Find Your System.