<Page>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.1

               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to
the use of our report dated June 5, 2001 (except for Note 4 and Note 11, as
to which the date is August 23, 2001) in Amendment No. 2 to the Registration
Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-68256) and the related Prospectus of Digirad
Corporation for the registration of shares of its common stock expected to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about November 2,
2001.

Our audits also included the financial statement schedule of Digirad
Corporation for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2000
listed in Item 16(b) of this registration statement. This schedule is the
responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibilty is to express
an opinion based on our audits. In our opinion, the financial statement
schedule referred to above, when considered in relation to the basic
financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material
respects, the information set forth therein.


                                        /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                                        ERNST & YOUNG LLP


San Diego, California
October 31, 2001