Computed radiography (CR) is the digital replacement of conventional X-ray film radiography and offers enormous advantages for inspection tasks – the use of consumables is virtually eliminated and the time to produce an image is drastically shortened.

In computed radiography, when imaging plates are exposed to X-rays or gamma rays, the energy of the incoming radiation is stored in a special phosphor layer. A specialized machine known as a scanner is then used to read out the latent image from the plate by stimulating it with a very finely focused laser beam. When stimulated, the plate emits blue light with intensity proportional to the amount of radiation received during the exposure. The light is then detected by a highly sensitive analog device known as a photomultiplier (PMT) and converted to a digital signal using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The generated digital X-ray image can then be viewed on a computer monitor and evaluated. After an imaging plate is read, it is erased by a high-intensity light source and can immediately be re-used – imaging plates can typically be used up to 1000 times or more depending on the application.The CR have below advantage: Cost-effective solution for upgrading old X-ray equipment.No silver-based film or chemicals are required to process films.Reduced film storage costs, as the images are stored digitally.Image brightness and contrast can be adjusted after the exposure.Image can be processed and enhanced at any time after the exposure.