Portable X-ray: Bedside Equipment for ICU and Emergencies in Colombia
Equipment Guide · Radiology Silo · Colombia 2026
Portable X-ray: what it is, types of bedside equipment, and when it is used in the ICU and emergency room
Portable X-ray equipment allows radiographs to be taken of critically ill patients without moving them from their beds — essential in the ICU, emergency room, and inpatient wards. Complete guide on types, DR technology, and purchasing criteria in Colombia
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GSMED Imaging technical team — radiology Colombia
Based on: IAEA Radiation Protection in Diagnostic Radiology, Agfa HealthCare Portable DR catalogs, Fujifilm FDR Go, Carestream DRX-Mobile, ANLA and INVIMA Colombia regulations, and portable radiography protocols in the ICU.
In an ICU, moving a ventilated patient with multiple lines and catheters to get a chest radiograph in a conventional X-ray room is a real clinical risk. Portable X-ray equipment solves this problem — it goes to the patient, takes the image in seconds, and sends it to the hospital imaging system (PACS) without the need for film or a darkroom.
1. What is portable X-ray equipment
Portable X-ray equipment (also called bedside or mobile equipment) is a wheeled radiography system with an integrated battery that can be moved to the patient's bed in any area of the hospital — ICU, emergency room, inpatient ward, neonatology, or operating room. It produces a radiograph with the same diagnostic quality as a fixed room system, but without requiring the patient to move.
Bedside
Goes to the patient — eliminates the risk of moving the critically ill patient
DR
Direct digital — image in seconds, no processing, connects to PACS
4–8 h
Typical battery life for modern portable equipment
WiFi
Wireless flat panels (wireless DR) send the image to PACS in seconds
2. Types of portable X-ray equipment
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Portable equipment with battery (self-propelled)
The modern standard. Lithium battery with 4–8 hours of battery life. Electric motor that facilitates movement through hallways. High-frequency generator integrated into the chassis. Compatible with fixed (on-board) DR detectors or wireless (wireless cassette) detectors. Total weight 150–300 kg — stable and easy to maneuver. Examples: Agfa DX-D 100, Fujifilm FDR Nano, Carestream DRX-Mobile.
→ ICU · Emergency Room · Inpatient Ward · Neonatology
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Wireless flat panel (wireless DR cassette)
A portable DR detector the size of a film cassette, with a battery and WiFi transmission. It is placed under the patient, and the technician performs the exposure with the portable equipment. The image appears on the workstation in 3–5 seconds. Completely eliminates the CR process. Can be used with any portable generator. Sizes: 35×43 cm (chest/abdomen) and 24×30 cm (extremities).
→ Maximum agility · With any portable equipment · Immediate PACS
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High-power portable equipment (capacitor)
Equipment with capacitors that store energy for high-power shots — useful for obese patients or for bedside lumbar spine and pelvis radiographs, where penetration is more demanding. Heavier than standard equipment. Less common in Colombia.
→ Obese patients · Bedside spine · Portable pelvis
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Mini portable (radiological POCUS)
Very compact equipment (20–30 kg) designed for rural environments, field use, or home visits. Lower power than ICU equipment — ideal for extremities and chest in low-complexity conditions. Requires conventional electrical current or an external battery.
→ Rural areas · Home visits · Low complexity
3. Clinical indications — when portable equipment is used
| Clinical situation | Bedside indication | Why it is not taken to the room |
|---|---|---|
| Endotracheal tube (ETT) check | ICU bedside — urgent | Confirming ETT position cannot wait for a transfer |
| Central venous catheter (CVC) check | ICU bedside — urgent | Verify CVC position and rule out post-insertion pneumothorax |
| Nasogastric tube (NGT) check | ICU/inpatient bedside | Confirm gastric position before starting enteral feeding |
| Suspected pneumothorax on mechanical ventilation | ICU bedside — emergency | Transferring with a tension pneumothorax can be fatal |
| Monitoring pneumonia in an intubated patient | ICU bedside — periodic monitoring | Daily or weekly follow-up without transfer risk |
| Post-thoracic or cardiac surgery check | Postoperative ICU bedside | Patient with multiple drains and lines — high-risk transfer |
| Hemodynamically unstable patient in the emergency room | Emergency room bedside | The conventional X-ray room may be occupied or far away |
| Neonate in an incubator | Neonatology bedside | The neonate cannot be removed from the incubator — detector under the bed |
4. Radiological protection at bedside — the most critical point
Radiological protection in portable radiography — legal obligations Unlike the fixed X-ray room (which has permanent lead shielding), the area where portable radiography is performed is not shielded. This implies strict obligations: (1) the technician must wear a lead apron and protect the thyroid during exposure; (2) all personnel who are not strictly necessary must be asked to leave the room or move at least 2 meters away; (3) the minimum kV/mAs necessary for the anatomical region must be used; (4) personnel in adjacent rooms must be notified. In Colombia, the institution's medical physicist must approve the portable radiography protocol, and the technical staff's dosimetry is measured with a personal dosimeter (TLD or film dosimeter).
5. Frequently asked questions
How much does portable X-ray equipment cost in Colombia?
A new standard portable equipment with battery (Agfa, Fujifilm, Carestream) ranges from USD 35,000 to USD 65,000. An additional or complementary wireless flat panel (wireless DR) can cost between USD 15,000 and USD 30,000 depending on the size and brand. Certified refurbished equipment can be found between USD 12,000 and USD 30,000 — suitable for institutions with lower usage volume. These values are added to the ANLA and INVIMA authorization and the initial dosimetry of the staff.
Does portable X-ray equipment require special authorization in Colombia?
Yes. All X-ray equipment in Colombia — including portable equipment — requires: (1) INVIMA registration of the equipment; (2) ANLA operating license (National Authority for Environmental Licenses) to operate ionizing radiation sources; (3) Medical physicist concept that includes the radiological protection protocol for portable use (since there is no shielded room); (4) Authorization of the radiology service before the Departmental Health Secretariat. The medical physicist must also define the safety distances and personal protective equipment for each area of the hospital where the equipment is used.
Does portable X-ray equipment provide the same image quality as a fixed room system?
In terms of detector resolution (flat panel DR), yes — the detector quality is the same in portable and fixed equipment of the same generation. The difference may be in the generator power: portable generators have lower power than fixed room generators, which can affect the image in very obese patients or for very dense anatomical regions (lumbar spine, large adult pelvis). For 80–90% of ICU applications (chest, extremities, catheter checks), the diagnostic quality is completely equivalent.
Portable X-ray equipment available in Colombia — GSMED
Bedside equipment with DR flat panel, long battery life, and PACS connectivity — with INVIMA registration and local technical support.
Portable radiology equipment for your institution
Portable bedside X-ray, wireless flat panels, and accessories — with ANLA authorization and local technical support in Colombia.
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