Recent developments in digital radiography detectors

Medical projection radiography is currently undergoing a major transformation into the digital age. New digital X-ray detectors are providing improved image quality as well as increased functionality. These advances promise to significantly change the practice of radiology in the coming years. This review paper will describe some of the issues associated with the new digital detectors, their design, capabilities and limitations as well as a few of the promising new clinical applications being enabled by their introduction. The review will focus mainly on the new amorphous silicon flat-panel detectors but will also touch on other technologies and promising new developments that may be introduced into the clinical environment in the not too distant future.