At this week's RSNA 2011 meeting in Chicago, radiation therapy firm Varian Medical Systems has introduced a new line of PaxPower x-ray tubes that offer improved heat management capabilities in a smaller and lighter package than conventional tubes.
Varian's patented anode-grounded technology is considered the key to reducing the size of PaxPower tubes while maintaining their high capacity, according to the company. They are designed to be paired with PaxScan digital detectors, also being introduced by Varian at the conference.
PaxScan X digital detectors feature improved imaging frame rates and 16-bit data acquisition on a platform optimized for high-dose efficiency and low electronic noise, the company said. The improvements are relevant to low-dose fluoroscopy and dental panoramic imaging.
Varian is also displaying work-in-progress DX configurations of its digital panel products, which combine the performance advantages of its X technology with the firm's existing D-type interface.
![Representative example of a 16-year-old male patient with underlying X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. (A, B) Paired anteroposterior (AP) chest radiograph and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) report shows lumbar spine (L1 through L4) areal bone mineral density (BMD). The DXA report was reformatted for anonymization and improved readability. The patient had low BMD (Z score ≤ −2.0). (C) Model (chest radiography [CXR]–BMD) output shows the predicted raw BMD and Z score in comparison with the DXA reference standard, together with interpretability analyses using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) and gradient-weighted class activation maps. The patient was classified as having low BMD, consistent with the reference standard. AM = age-matched, DEXA = dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, RM2 = room 2, SNUH = Seoul National University Hospital, YA = young adult.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/04/ai-children-bone-density.0snnf2EJjr.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
