CR systems are fairly reliable, but their mechanical systems are very sensitive to contamination especially in a veterinary practice.
The most common and costly item to replace is the PSP plate that the CR system uses to capture the x-ray flux. These plates have a short or limited lifespan and are especially sensitive to contamination from animal hair, meaning their lifespan is even shorter for veterinarians. Replacement plates cost roughly $1,000 to $5,000 each depending on the size and model. CR systems also rely on a plate reader that moves a scanning laser across the PSP plate. Precision is very important to accurate image collection and clogging of the reader is a common cause for service calls.
DR systems have no moving parts other than a cooling fan, which rarely comes into contact with patient or user. DR systems do rely heavily on a computer. Like all computers, data should be backed up regularly to avoid data loss.