Aoife Gallagher MSc, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Anita Dowling, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ronan Faulkner, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Louise Bowden, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Una O' Connor, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jim Malone, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Geraldine O'Reilly, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The design of an effective QA programme for diagnostic imaging equipment must aim to ensure that adequate clinical image quality is achieved at doses that are ALARA.These results highlight the need for the Medical Physics profession to review current QA guidance documents to ensure that tests are not being undertaken,just for the sake of it.

The design of X-ray technology has become increasingly more sophisticated over the past 30 years.However,technological developments have not always been matched by a similar emphasis on updating associated Quality Assurance (QA) protocols.Thus many of the same tests undertaken 30 years ago are still performed today.This paper assesses the appropriateness of routinely undertaking some of these long established tests on modern systems.It compares results of tests undertaken on approximately 100 systems in 1997 and on a similar number of systems 14 years later.All equipment was in clinical use at the time of testing and varied in age from 1 to 27 years.

More systems were found to be operating within tolerance in the recent QA assessment than when compared to those assessed 14 years previously.On average while less than 10% of systems failed individual tests during the recent assessment, up to 35% of systems in the earlier appraisal failed to meet tolerances.Where issues were detected, problems were notably more significant in the earlier assessment.An example confirming this relates to the assessment of radiation output repeatability.Current assessments indicated that one system failed to produce a coefficient of variation within 10%, yielding 11%.Earlier results identified that three systems significantly exceeded the tolerance;one system producing a coefficient of variation of 47% while a second system returned a staggering response of 150%.

These results confirm that certain cohorts of tests seldom fail to meet tolerances while others are less likely pass.In addition QA measurements on modern systems do not deviate from the limits of tolerance with such high magnitude as in the past. Based on these findings,there is scope to reassess the range of tests performed,extent of the range of settings assessed and frequency of testing.

Gallagher, A, Dowling, A, Faulkner, R, Bowden, L, O' Connor, U, Malone, J, O'Reilly, G, Quality Assurance Testing in the 21st Century – Are We Still in the Dark Ages?.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14019323.html