Your Guide to Medical Imaging Equipment

People frequently ask us what, if any, requirements have been set for X-ray shielding in rooms where C-arms are in use. Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to the question.

Regulations for shielding during C-arm use vary across a number of factors, including site location, location of the C-arm within the site, and the type of usage the C-arm will see. Some states don't require any shielding at all, but have other requirements that must be met. Take Texas, for instance: a C-arm doesn't need to be shielded, but its dose must be monitored for a year after installation. Other states, like Ohio, require a physicist to visit your site and advise specific shielding measures for your individual building.

Because there are no across-the-board regulations for C-arm shielding, we put together a few "rule of thumb" recommendations for new C-arm owners in the example below and the short video that follows.

Block Imaging continues to expand in providing refurbished imaging equipment, parts, and service with the acquisition of Platinum X-Ray Solutions, an imaging field service organization serving the Houston, TX and Dallas, TX areas. This growth in field service manpower means even better response times and equipment uptime for Block Imaging clients in the region. It also brings expanded parts inventory and engineering capabilities to the existing Platinum customer base in Texas.

Over the last several years, MRI systems have continued to evolve and become more patient-friendly. Bore size, noise reduction, faster scan times- all of these have been adapted to accommodate large, claustrophobic, and/or just plain nervous patients while they're on the table.

This is well and good for the overall experience of receiving an MRI scan, but is there a point at which gains in comfort compromise functionality? In short: yes, but it may be worth it for some facilities. Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of using a short-bore MRI scanner at your facility.

Click here to browse our MRI inventory for short-bore scanners.

For the last several years, people have been looking for ways to continue using and even improve upon the ever-popular OEC 9800. We’ve blogged about 9800 monitor upgrades before, but the technology continues to evolve. If you've been considering upgrades to your OEC 9800 display, keep reading to learn more about what's out there now, what you can expect on the horizon, and how to choose the best option for you.

While Siemens is busy marketing and selling their latest CT scanners, the "SOMATOM go" series, the secondary CT market is seeing an increasing availability of units from the previous generation: the Definition series.

If you're looking for a previously-owned CT, a system from the Definition series could be a good fit for your needs. But which one should you choose? Because there are so many details packed into the name of each of them, we're going to take the next few paragraphs to clarify what makes each Definition scanner different from the other members of its family.