Wireless Flat Panel Detectors: What's Their Range?

When using a wireless flat panel detector with your X-ray system, a strong wi-fi connection is a must. This is especially true if your panel is paired with a portable system being moved around your facility. Because of this need, people looking into digital X-ray often ask us, "What's the range of a wireless flat panel detector?" That is- how far the panel can be from the computer before the signal is too weak to transmit images.

In response to this question, we decided to do a "field test". All you need is a 100,000 square ft. warehouse, a portable X-ray machine, and a wireless DR flat panel. Fortunately, Block Imaging has all three. More specifically, we used a Vivix CsI wireless DR panel set to AP mode and scanned a test phantom with a GE AMX IV portable X-ray system. Check out the photos and results below to find out what we learned about wireless DR panel signal range.

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Our Wireless Flat Panel Signal Range Test:

Flat Panel Test Results

Moving away from the AMX IV portable, we stopped at intervals, took an X-ray of the phantom, and verified a successful image render on the tablet PC. Images were sent and received at each interval, up to 150 feet, where the wi-fi signal meter was reduced to a single bar. Being that a laptop or tablet workstation will almost always be in the same room as the portable X-ray machine, the 150-foot signal range of the wireless detector panel should be more than sufficient in just about any facility.

The Takeaway

If you're considering the purchase of a wireless panel, don't let concerns over signal range stop you. As long as your workstation is within 150 feet of it (and we don't know why this would ever not be the case), your panel can do its job. If you already have a panel and are experiencing signal problems, it's unlikely that your panel is the root cause.

If you have other questions about flat panel detectors, from current average cost, to service, to free in-house demos- we're ready to help with it all!