Q: I need to purchase a new x-ray machine, and my staff wants me to look into the Nomad handheld x-ray unit. Is it safe, and how easy is it to use?
A: We have been using a Nomad (Aribex) handheld x-ray unit in my office for a few years now. My staff loves it so much that we recently acquired the Nomad Pro as well.
The great part about a Nomad is that it is truly portable. If I were building a new office, I would not even consider purchasing a wall-mounted x-ray unit. The Nomad saves time, as you no longer have to run in and out of the treatment room. Combine the Nomad with a digital radiography sensor and you can produce a full mouth series of radiographs in about half the time compared to film or phosphor plates. We get around 400 radiographs on a battery charge. The Nomad works with both film and digital radiography (sensors and phosphor plates).
We have also found that the there are fewer retakes because you can adjust as the patient moves when taking the radiographs. No more trying to compensate for a drifting x-ray head. My staff members prefer using the Nomad to the x-ray machines on the wall and, in fact, will wait to use the Nomad rather than use the other x-ray heads.
There have been some discussions about the weight of the Nomad. This was a nonissue from the start, as the staff took right to the Nomad and never complained about the weight or balance. It is even less of an issue with the Nomad Pro, which weighs less than the original Nomad.
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| All images courtesy of Aribex. |
As for safety (radiation exposure), Nomad employs an external backscatter shield to protect the operator from reflected radiation. This shield produces a cone-shaped protection zone extending behind it. At the position where the operator stands, the zone has a diameter of more that 6 ft, enough to protect the operator's entire body.
In addition, radiation shielding inside Nomad ensures that leakage from the x-ray source itself is virtually eliminated, protecting the operator's hands and other areas close to the device. Safety studies are available on the Aribex Web site.
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The Nomad is currently approved for use by dental boards in 40 states. The unit is very safe but, like anything else, you must follow the safety manual to prevent accidental exposure. Manuals and technique charts are available on the Aribex Web site for both the Nomad and Nomad Pro.
So go purchase the Nomad. Your staff will love using it, and you will be happy with the excellent quality radiographs it can produce.
Martin Jablow, D.M.D., is a practicing dentist and a self-professed technophile who lectures and blogs on a variety of technologies used in dentistry (dentechblog.blogspot.com). If you have a technology question for Dr. Jablow, e-mail it to us at [email protected].
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