Comparative reject analysis in conventional film-screen and digital storage phosphor radiography

The aim of this study was comparative analysis of rejected radiographs in c onventional and digital radiology under the aspects number of rejected imag es ages and reasons for rejection. During 2 months waste films of conventio nal radiography were collected in digital radiography each image-delete com mand at the postprocessing workstation was documented. Rejected images were analysed and assigned to four categories. The overall reject rate was 27.6 % in the conventional and 2.3 % in the digital department. Whereas in the conventional department the main reason for rejection was ''exposure'' and "others" (i.e. problems related to film handling), the main reason in the d igital environment was "positioning". The high exposure tolerance of digita l systems markedly reduces the amount of faulty images. This is not only ec onomically rewarding, but may also reduce unnecessary X-ray exposure of pat ients due to image retake.