Full-Spine X-ray Imaging: The Difference Between Long Bone Stitching and One-Shot Full-View Imaging

 When diagnosing conditions such as scoliosis or lower limb deformities, doctors often need a complete X-ray of the entire spine or both legs. These full-length images provide essential information for accurate assessment and treatment planning.

However, many traditional X-ray systems have limited imaging areas, typically up to 43 cm. Since the average adult spine measures about 60 cm, and the full length of both lower limbs is even longer, it’s impossible to capture the entire structure in a single exposure. To overcome this, radiographers usually take several separate images—such as cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral segments—and then piece them together for review. While this approach helps observe local abnormalities, it cannot show the full anatomical continuity of the spine or limbs, which can make diagnosis more complex.

To solve this challenge, two key imaging technologies have emerged: long bone stitching and one-shot full-view imaging using a large flat panel detector.

1. Long Bone Stitching Technology

This technique works under an automatic DR (Digital Radiography) mode. The system performs multiple consecutive exposures—usually between 6 and 8—each with overlapping image sections. These images are then digitally combined into a seamless panoramic view of the entire spine or both legs.

Long bone stitching technology has been widely adopted in many DR systems. It provides a practical solution for hospitals that need full-length imaging but do not have large detectors. However, this method can still introduce small alignment errors, image distortion, or gaps at the stitching points, especially when the patient moves slightly during exposure.

2. One-Shot Full-View Imaging Technology

Unlike the stitching approach, one-shot full-view imaging captures the entire spine or both legs in a single exposure, using a large-size flat panel detector.

For example, Perlove Medical's PLX8600 Dynamic DR System features a 17 × 34-inch full-field detector, allowing for one-step imaging without the need for software stitching. This technology offers several significant advantages:

• ✅ Seamless and distortion-free images – eliminates stitching errors and maintains anatomical accuracy.
• ✅ High image clarity – provides a true-to-life representation of joint and bone structures.
• ✅ Lower radiation dose – a single exposure reduces patient radiation by 50–70% compared with conventional multi-shot DR imaging.
• ✅ Faster workflow – less positioning time and faster image acquisition improve clinical efficiency.

3. Summary

Both long bone stitching and one-shot large-panel imaging technologies serve the same clinical goal — to deliver complete and accurate X-ray images of the spine and lower limbs. Yet, one-shot imaging represents a new generation of efficiency, precision, and patient safety.

With advanced systems like the Perlove PLX8600, hospitals can not only enhance diagnostic accuracy but also provide patients with a safer and more comfortable imaging experience.

Perlove Medical remains committed to providing innovative imaging solutions that empower clinicians and improve healthcare outcomes through advanced technology and patient-centered design.