Nomad x-ray approved for handheld use on humans

Inline Systems has so far gained approval for handheld operation on live humans for its Nomad portable x-ray unit in Victoria, South Australia and New Zealand.

These approvals pave the way for the device to be used in a broad range of situations where access to, or the use of traditional dental x-ray equipment is impractical.

"The Nomad is designed to be a handheld x-ray unit and our intention from the outset has been for it to be used on live patients and not just limited to forensic or veterinary dental applications," said Mike Harman, Managing Director of Inline Systems.

"The Nomad has been approved for handheld use in the veterinary and forensics fields in most states for over a year. To gain approval for handheld use on live patients however, we had the unit extensively tested to ensure the safety of both the operator and the patient and to verify that the image quality produced by the Nomad was diagnostically equivalent, if not better than a standard wall mounted unit. We've worked closely with all the necessary state and federal bodies to fully satisfy their requirements that the device is safe and compliant. We are now starting to see its use being approved state by state."

Handheld use of the Nomad on live patients to date has been restricted as radiation safety regulations require the operator to be at least 2m from an x-ray source during its operation and for the device to be mounted on a stable platform such as a wall or a tripod. The approvals received by Inline Systems are based on an exemption being issued to these requirements.

The Nomad is battery operated and when combined with the Krystal-X WIFI digital x-ray system which Inline Systems also distributes together with a laptop computer, it offers a fully self-contained system requiring no external 240V power source. Use of the Nomad with a digital x-ray system or high speed x-ray film is recommended for optimal results.

"We don't see the Nomad replacing the traditional x-ray unit in private practice," Mr Harman said, "however there are many other applications where it's ideal. Anywhere dentistry is practised in a remote area such as mobile clinics and the military are obvious areas where it is perfectly suited. Also, any area where patient mobility is an issue such as nursing homes, hospitals and prisons. The Nomad is also ideal for paediatric and special needs dentistry where patients are unable to remain stationary when the operator leaves the room to expose a traditional x-ray. With the Nomad, the dentist can now remain by the patient's side and expose the image at a suitable moment. So far we've had a lot of interest in the unit and its approval for handheld use offers an even greater range of applications."