What Are Digital and Computed Radiography?
Digital radiography encompasses two distinct filmless techniques that replace conventional
silver halide film with digital image capture media — providing direct access to digital
radiographic images without darkroom processing.
Computed Radiography (CR) CR uses photostimulable phosphor (PSP) imaging plates in place
of film. The exposed plate is scanned in a dedicated CR reader that stimulates the phosphor to
release stored energy as visible light, producing a digital image. CR uses the same X-ray or
gamma-ray sources as conventional film RT — the change is in the image receptor and
processing workflow, not the radiation source. CR imaging plates are reusable, reducing
consumable costs compared to film, and digital images are available within minutes of the
exposure.
Digital Radiography (DR) DR uses flat-panel detector arrays (FPDs) or amorphous silicon (a-Si)
detectors that produce digital images in real time — immediately upon completion of the
exposure, without any processing step. DR is the fastest radiographic imaging method and is
particularly suited to high-volume production weld inspection, complex inspection sequences
requiring rapid feedback, and applications where image availability must be immediate.
Advantages of DR and CR over conventional film RT:
- Immediate image availability — no darkroom processing delay
- Enhanced dynamic range and grey-scale resolution — revealing detail at both thin and
thick areas in a single exposure
- Digital image processing — brightness, contrast, and magnification adjustment without re
exposure
- Permanent, loss-proof digital storage — no physical film archive
- Digital distribution — images shared electronically with client, evaluator, or certifying body
- Reduced consumable cost (CR) — reusable imaging plates
- DICONDE-compatible data format for integration with inspection data management
systems