Types of Mobile Equipment

Question 1

What is a true portable unit?

Answer 1

• Truly portable, carry-able in two suitcases
• Separate parts to be rebuilt and reconnected
• Tube stand, base, rack and pinion, cross arm
• Tank construction of tube and HT circuit
• Control box, timer, meters, etc
• Low voltage multicore cabling
• Stationary anode tube, 1.5 mm focus

Question 2

What are the advantages of a true portable unit?

Answer 2

• Cheap (appox. £5000) and simple

* Can be connected to a conventional 13A power supply

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of a true portable unit?

Answer 3

• Long exposure times

* Time consuming to rebuild

Question 4

What is a conventional mains dependent unit?

Answer 4

• 5 wheels, motor driven forward and reverse,
• Drive power from 12 V car batteries
• disc brakes
• antitamper lock and key
• weight 408 kg
• cable compartment with 10 m of mains cable

Question 5

What are the advantages of a conventional mains dependent unit?

Answer 5

• High output
• Very flexible and manoeuvrable
• Motorised

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of conventional mains dependent units?

Answer 6

• Limited to 30 A power outlets

* Expensive, approx £15,000

Question 7

What are the advantages of a high frequency mains dependent mobile unit?

Answer 7

• Small, light and compact
• very manouverable
• very simple controls
• reasonable price £8,500

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of a high frequency mains dependent mobile unit?

Answer 8

• middle range output at 5.6 kW

Question 9

What are the advantages of a capacitor discharge mobile unit?

Answer 9

• Reasonable output

* usable with any old 13 A supply

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of a capacitor discharge mobile unit?

Answer 10

• Discharge waveform means that the end of the exposure is at a lower potential
• Limitations in high mAs and techniques might have to be modified
• Expensive, approx £25,000

Question 11

What are the advantages of a mains independent (battery) mobile unit?

Answer 11

• Total independence of power supply for daily working

* High exposure output

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of a mains independent (battery) mobile unit?

Answer 12

• Expensive, approx £26,000

* Batteries don’t seem to last long, approx 18 months

Question 13

What are the advantages of a digital mobile radiography system?

Answer 13

• Images can be evaluated immediately after exposure
  
  • • repeats can be instantly retaken
• Immediate information before taking next image or step
• Images can already be labelled to patient’s information
• Images can be quickly sent to PACS afterward