Computed radiography is commonly distinguished from Direct Radiography (DR). The difference is that after exposure a DR system will almost instantly display the image on the display in front of the radiographer, therefore removing any need for processing. Image processing or enhancement can of course be performed on DR images in the same way that CR images can due to the digital format of each. There are many different types of DR detectors in use in medicine and industry. Each type has its own merits and distinctions and may be applied to certain imaging requirements based on these attributes.
CR and DR should not be confused with Fluoroscopy, where there is a continuous beam of radiation, and the images appear on the screen like on a TV. This is the system many people are familiar with, where the image of the article being x-rayed is viewed in real time on a monitor or display. Many people think airports use Fluoroscopes for baggage inspection, when in fact LDA's (Linear Diode Arrays)are universally used to generate static images of luggage content. LDA's are also used in a wide variety of other screening and imaging applications, and are also presented in a digital format. Modern fluorosopes use a device called an image intensifier to enhance the analog output of the real time x-ray image, where it is picked up by either a video or CCD camera and digitally enhanced to reduce the noise inherent in the system.
