Quality Control Measures in Tanzania: Is it Done?

Regular implementation of a quality control (QC) programme in diagnostic radiology is vital if consistent optimal equipment performance, quality images, and accurate diagnosis at optimum radiation dose and costs are to be achieved. This highlighted the necessity for the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) to establish a training programme to enable radiographers to implement a QC programme in their departments because there are no clinical medical physicists in diagnostic radiology in the country. However, the status of programme implementation is not precisely known.

The aim of this study was to investigate the status of implementation of the QC measures as performed by radiographers in diagnostic radiography departments in Tanzania.

A quantitative cross-sectional survey, using a questionnaire, was conducted on a sample of 84 radiographers who had been trained in the QC programme and who were practising in 54 hospitals within Tanzania.

A large number of respondents were not implementing the following QC tests: tube output, kV, mAs and timer (94%), collimation (53.5%), and densitometry and sensitometry (87.7%). The tests for film viewing box and lead rubber protective apparel were not implemented by 64.2% and 59% of the respondents, respectively. The cassette inspection and darkroom inspection were reported as being implemented by most respondents, although the testing was not observing the recommended schedule. Furthermore, the departments had no records and procedures for the QC programme, and only the locally improvized QC test tools were reported to be available.

The QC training objectives of TAEC have not been largely achieved because radiographers are not adequately implementing the QC programme. Without the QC programme in place, equipment malfunctioning will not be revealed at an early stage, and this can cause poor image quality and/or higher dose to patients. Therefore, active involvement of the TAEC, the ministry of health, hospital management teams, and radiographers is desirable to achieve full implementation of the programme.