Quality assurance in diagnostic radiology: practical outcomes

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Sciences
• Health Physics

Background:

• A quality control program was established in the Health Physics Department to monitor diagnostic X-ray equipment.
• The program focused on evaluating the performance of X-ray machines over a four-year period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the implemented quality control program.
• To compare the diagnostic X-ray machine performance between 1999 and 2002.

Main Methods:

• Key performance indicators including X-ray and light field alignment, tube voltage reproducibility, and accuracy were tested.
• Statistical analysis using chi-squared and Fischer tests was employed to compare data from 1999 and 2002.
• Non-conformities were documented and analyzed.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant decrease in non-conformities was observed across all examined X-ray machines (p<0.05).
• Comparative analysis revealed a reduction in equipment failures and performance deviations.
• The quality control program demonstrated a positive impact on equipment performance.

Conclusions:

• The quality control program significantly improved the performance of diagnostic X-ray equipment.
• The resources invested in the quality control program were justified by the positive outcomes.
• Continuous quality improvement in medical imaging equipment is essential.