Abstract
Dry printing of medical images, without photochemicals, may be based on the principle of thermal dye diffusion. The Drystar (Agfa Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium) system was evaluated in colour-coded Doppler examinations of the carotid arteries. A total of 25 consecutive patients were examined for the colour test and 37 patients for the black-and-white test. Colour and black-and-white data were available on the same view. The performances of the Drystar were tested against laser films, matrix films and two types of glossy paper using the following criteria: grey scale, colour scale, quality of reproduction of vascular colouring, registration, endothelial layer, intraluminal echogenicity, spectral resolution, and artefacts. The overall handiness of the document was graded. A significant difference (p = 0.00 005) was noted in favour of the Drystar concerning registration, grey scale, spectral resolution and vascular colouring. The global score for handiness of the colour film was 96%. Radiologists preferred the colour hard copy as compared with glossy paper prints. As in the black-and-white test, blue-base and clear-base films obtained with the Drystar were rated inferior to laser films, a double line print mode was included in the printer, giving a density of 2.3 OD.
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Correspondence to: R. F. Dondelinger
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Deldinne, M., Dondelinger, R.F., Trotteur, G. et al. Evaluation of colour images printed by a thermal dye diffusion process. Eur. Radiol. 6, 762–764 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187686
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187686