Infographics / Digital Radiography

CR vs DR vs Film-Screen Receptor Comparison

A three-column comparison table. Screen-film uses one film for both acquisition and display with wet chemical processing, has narrow latitude (about 30 to 100, one to two decades), the lowest detective quantum efficiency (about 20 to 30 percent) and highest patient dose, and is slowest. CR reads a photostimulable-phosphor cassette in a separate laser reader, has wide latitude (about ten cubed to ten to the fourth, three to four decades), DQE about 20 to 40 percent, and intermediate speed. DR uses a flat-panel detector with direct electronic readout, shares the same wide latitude as CR, has the highest DQE (about 50 to 70 percent) and lowest dose, and gives near-instant readout.

Screen-film vs computed radiography (CR) vs digital radiography (DR) A three-column comparison table. Screen-film uses one film for both acquisition and display with wet chemical processing, has narrow latitude (about 30 to 100, one to two decades), the lowest detective quantum efficiency (about 20 to 30 percent) and highest patient dose, and is slowest. CR reads a photostimulable-phosphor cassette in a separate laser reader, has wide latitude (about ten cubed to ten to the fourth, three to four decades), DQE about 20 to 40 percent, and intermediate speed. DR uses a flat-panel detector with direct electronic readout, shares the same wide latitude as CR, has the highest DQE (about 50 to 70 percent) and lowest dose, and gives near-instant readout. Screen-film vs CR vs DR: workflow, latitude, dose efficiency, immediacy Screen-film CR DR screen-film cassette PSP cassette + reader flat-panel detector Readout / workflow Dynamic range / latitude DQE / patient dose Immediacy Same film acquires and displays it (wet processing) PSP cassette read in a separate laser reader Flat panel; direct electronic readout Narrow ~30–100 (≈1–2 decades) Wide ~10³–10⁴ (≈3–4 decades) Wide ~10³–10⁴ (≈3–4 decades) DQE ~20–30% (highest dose) DQE ~20–40% DQE ~50–70% (lowest dose) Slowest: chemical processing + drying Intermediate: no chemicals, but separate reader step Near-instant readout CR and DR share wide dynamic range; DR wins on DQE (lower dose) and near-instant readout.
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