Metroplex Adventist Hospital in Killeen, Tex, has installed a Carestream DRX-Evolution DR room for all general radiology exams to accommodate a sudden surge in patient volume due to discharged veterans with active duty injuries. Killeen is home to the Fort Hood military base, which houses two full divisions of the United States Armed Services and supports 12 additional units. 41,000 soldiers are currently stationed at Fort Hood.

Randy Hill, director of radiology for the 232-bed facility, selected the system after evaluating reports from KLAS, MD Buyline, and ECRI Institute and observing demonstrations from several vendors at the 2013 Radiological Society of North America meeting in Chicago. The DRX-Evolution includes a wall stand and elevating table, and is equipped with a cesium oxide DRX-1C detector. The system is suitable for general exams including cross table, spine, long length, extremity, chest, and abdomen.

“We had a CR system but when our volume in this room doubled to 1,000 exams a month, we needed a fully featured DR room that could efficiently perform any type of imaging exam and delivered outstanding reliability,” Hill said. Veterans, referred to the hospital by the Veterans Evaluation Board, now account for about 500 additional studies per month. Metroplex performs 90,000 imaging exams per year.

“We are pleased with all aspects of implementing the DRX-Evolution, from the installation and training to ongoing support that is just a phone call away,” said Hill. “Every member of Carestream’s team has been knowledgeable and helpful.”

For more information, visit Caresteam.