Since the late 1990s, computed radiography (CR) has come into widespread use. In CR, X-rays pass through the body, producing an image on an imaging plate. This image is then scanned and digitised using a special device known as a CR reader. Recent years have also seen the emergence of digital radiography (DR), in which a digital image is captured directly, eliminating the need for scanning and digitising. DR is already in widespread use, mainly at large hospitals and orthopaedic centres.
