A digital radiography (20) detector has a first housing (18) having substantially the form factor of a film cassette and having a chest wall edge (C). The first housing (18) has an X-ray converter (70) with a detection array (26), each detector generating a signal according to an amount of radiation received. Readout electronics (74) are coupled with switching elements in the detection array for obtaining the signals therefrom. The readout electronics (74) include elements formed from crystalline silicon and are distributed toward outer edges of the first housing (18) and away from the chest wall edge (C). X-ray shielding selectively protects the readout electronics (74) and is located beneath a portion of the detection array. A second housing (40), electrically connected to the first housing (18) has a power source for the detector, readout and control electronics for obtaining signals provided from the detection array (26).