MULTIFORMAT CAMERA

Typical Number in Hospital: 1

Cost Bands: 3,4

References:

Ultrasonic scans are often presented as small black and white prints taken from the screen of a small video monitor, using an instant camera. An alternative storage method which has become popular is to arrange six such pictures on a single sheet of X- ray film, using a multiformat camera.

In its simplest form, this is a special back for the camera, which holds the large film in a cassette which has a mechanism to allow the film to be moved into six positions. After taking the first picture, the operator moves the film to the next position, and so on.

There are a number of multiformat cameras in which the relocation process is automatic, and after loading the film cassette into the camera, the six pictures can be taken without operator intervention. After the pictures have been taken, the film is processed in the same way as X-ray film.

It must be remembered that the film produces a negative image. This is normally dealt with by inverting the video signal applied to the video monitor.