The challenge of introducing any new technology is convincing the market that it works and IDC's case was no exception.

The digital revolution is claiming more victories every day. What started with data storage has become more pervasive, extending even to everyday consumer electronics such as digital cameras. A similar change is taking place in the world of radiography, where film-based X-ray technology is slowly but surely yielding to digital systems.

At the forefront of this change is Imaging Dynamics Co. (IDC) Ltd., based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. CEO and President Darryl Stein says the company has cleared the initial hurdles of gaining acceptance from the radiology community and is now experiencing tremendous growth.

The company was founded by Robin Winsor, who in 1992 first began developing a digital radiography system. Today, that technology makes up the core of IDC's Xplorer product line. Stein says the technology took 15 years to develop, and has been commercially available only for the last three. ICD digital technology eliminates the need for film in medical X-ray machines.

"It's no different than the transition that most people have made with digital cameras," Stein says. "You're eliminating the film and working with digital images." The company believes its products will become an integral part of the future of medicine as hospitals are already transitioning to fully digital records. Digital radiography also offers significant efficiencies not only by eliminating film storage and processing, but also by allowing doctors to examine patients faster.

"You're imaging in seconds, rather than minutes, and able to share and distribute those images electronically," Stein says. In addition, digital radiography eliminates film-processing chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Stein says all of these factors add up to a superior technology. "Frankly, the transition to digital X-ray is inevitable," he says. IDC products are now in use in more than 30 countries for medical, chiropractic, orthopedic, veterinary and mobile imaging.

The challenge of introducing any new technology is convincing the market that it works and IDC's case was no exception. Stein says doctors and hospitals were reluctant at first to take a chance on the technology because it's a different technical approach from others and human diagnostics is a very serious science. "It took IDC five years, working closely with the radiology and physics community, to prove the efficacy of our products he says. Making things more difficult was the fact that IDC had to meet a wide range of preferences across different markets and countries. Stein says the key was taking the time to develop products specific to each customer, then build a reference base among radiologists. Once professionals in the field got comfortable with the technology's effectiveness, they vouched for it with colleagues. The company then saw its sales start to accelerate.

"The first 100 sales were the company's most challenging," Stein says. He estimates that more than 80 percent of radiology around the world has yet to adopt digital imaging, and the company is at the forefront of this transition. Stein says the company has secured global partners to reach into different markets. Going global has helped IDC keep costs down, as well.

The company is optimistic about its technology in markets outside North America. For example, the company now has 14 distribution partners in Asia, up from only three a year ago.

The rapid growth of the company is something Stein says IDC is preparing for. He says the company is taking steps to outsource manufacturing, implement computer systems to integrate its internal processes and strengthen its regulatory department to deal with increased business overseas.