PURPOSE: To evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) of the current digital radiography systems for thorax- and skeletal diagnostics. To provide assistance for radiologists, who have to decide on the acquisition of a radiography system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The computed radiography (CR) and direct radiography (DR) technologies which are commercially available were evaluated systematically regarding their physical characteristics, diagnostic accuracy, potential for dose reduction and economic parameters. These facts were presented in SWOT tables. RESULTS: The physical parameters and diagnostic accuracy show a clear advantage for DR systems using TFT (thin film transistor) over storage-phosphor image plates (IP). These advantages enable the potential for dose reduction too. Needle-structured IP represent an important development of CR systems. They are comparable with DR-systems using TFT regarding the physical parameters. CR-systems represent a potential alternative, due to their low costs of acquisition, the possibility for easy integration into existing film-screen systems, and their simple handling in intensive care and emergency radiography. Technological developments like dual-side reading and ScanHead improved the competitiveness of CR systems. CONCLUSION: Which digital radiography system might be best suited for specific site depends crucially on the requirements posed and the operational area. The answer to this question is not simple. On basis of the strengths and weaknesses of the digital radiography systems, the radiologist is able to analyze the opportunities and threats for the business unit.