I run a dental office in North Carolina. We are using digital x-ray technology, but would like to convert our older panoramic and bitewing x-rays to digital images. What scanner and software package would be best for this? I have been told that the scanner would need to have its light source on the top lid instead of the usual scan from beneath. Could someone shed some light(pun intended) on this?

Greg Sayers Office Manager William R Price, DDS

-- Greg Sayers (wrprice99@hotmail.com), June 23, 2000

Answers

Greg, How big are your x-rays? I haven't been to the dentist in a while, but I seem to remember that they are not terribly large (smaller than 81/2 x 11). I do quite a bit of scanning of x-rays (I work for NASA at the Marshall Space Flight Center) and we run x-rays of stress tests on rocket and shuttle engines. Look at the Heidleberg (sp) Saphir2 flatbed scanner. I have two of them and they do a great job, plus, from what I understand, the price has just dropped significantly on them. I can give you a sales contact for this scanner, but I don't have it with me at home right now. E-mail me at work with this and I will get it to you Monday. fred.deaton@msfc.nasa.gov

Fred

-- fred (fdeaton@hiwaay.net), June 23, 2000.

If your budget doesn't stretch to the Saphir, you could do a lot worse than look at the Epson Perfection 1200 photo. This model comes complete with the transparency lid, and has good software.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), June 27, 2000.

Has anyone figured out how to scan a panoramic size film? If so what scanner and adapter is being used?

-- Harry Randel (hrrandel@aol.com), February 01, 2003.