Quality control for chest radiography

A quality Control Program for Chest Radiography was established in a six room Radiology Department. After a preliminary educational session on the definition of a "good" chest film, and the factors which affect the image quality, a "Chest Team" was established. The technologists were divided into three groups: Standard Chest Group, Consistency Group and Monitoring Group. Each group served as a control for the other, resulting in standardization of all methods, techniques, and acceptance criteria in the department. A random inspection of chest radiographs, both before and after the project, showed significant improvement in the overall quality of chest films in the department over a three month period. Follow-up confirmed that the established standard was maintained with minimal effort.