This trend is a major step forward for the environment, as the production, exposure, development and disposal of X-ray film consumes both hazardous chemicals and valuable resources.

Another benefit in going filmless is that it is actually much more convenient. Patients don’t have to wait for films to be developed and couriered or collected. Instead the images are sent directly to your referring doctor together with a report from our radiologist. And there’s no risk of images being lost or forgotten as the digital files are stored securely and are available on request from any of our clinics.

Importantly though, one thing hasn’t changed: you should always follow up directly with your referring doctor regarding the results.

If you do have some old medical imaging films at home, did you know that they can be recycled? During the recycling process the films are heated to temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius to extract silver. The silver is then used to make jewellery, electrical components, and to silver plate utensils. It can also be used as solder. You can drop unwanted films from any medical imaging procedure in to your closest I-MED Radiology clinic to be confidentially recycled.