Placement And Comfort - XDR Radiology

Objective

Sometimes, capturing the desired anatomy can depend on patient comfort. And, of course, a more comfortable patient experience is important on its own, and saves auxiliaries’ time.

So:

Are the sensor corners rounded?
Do the corners minimize pressure on soft tissues?
Is the sensor thin enough for difficult situations?
Is the cord-attachment button small enough to keep the sensor’s overall size down?

Design

Comfort. As the patient closes on a sensor, force is applied where contact is made with the patient’s soft tissues. The smaller that contact, the greater pressure the patient will feel. If the sensor’s corners are rounded, the force is spread. And if the sensor’s corners are both rounded and beveled, the pressure is spread over an even larger surface area, further easing pressure. Using various prototypes in XDR’s labs, experiments with Pressure Indicating Paste yielded a sensor design which minimized such pressure on sensitive tissues.

Image 1 - PIP used to determine optimal beveling — Figure 1 – PIP used to determine optimal beveling

Figure 2 - Larger impact area decreases pressure on tissues — Figure 2 – Larger impact area decreases pressure on tissues

Figure 3 - Bevel spreads impact over larger area — Figure 3 – Bevel spreads impact over larger area

Placement. When the sensor is thin enough, it is easier to insert into the mouth, easier to place near tori, and less likely to cause gagging when placed along the midline. When the cord-attachment button is smaller and lower, the overall size of the sensor/holder combination is smaller too. All this makes it easier to insert into the mouth, and to properly position to get the shot.

Figure 4 - Engineered to minimize size — Figure 4 – Engineered to minimize size

Figure 5 - Thinner sensor; smaller and lower button — Figure 5 – Thinner sensor; smaller and lower button

Results

Ergonomic Features

Objective	Feature
Canine-Premolar Contact	Maximal Mesial Imaging Area
Intraoral Visibility	White Face
Comfort	Rounded Corners
Comfort	Beveled Corners
Ease of Placement	Thin
Ease of Placement	Small Button
Ease of Cleaning	No Creases or Crevices
Sterilizability	Immersible (waterproof)
Strong Cord	Kevlar Cable
Shock Resistance	Protection Plate
Handling Ease	Two-Meter Cord

Conclusion

Many sensors provide some of these features. Only the XDR Anatomic Sensor provides all of them.