Notebook 11 Quality Control Quality Control is the aspect of quality assurance that monitors technical equipment to maintain quality standards. Rooted in the need to stabilize the various equipment components of the radiographic imaging chain. Quality Assurance consists of activities that provide adequate confidence that a radiology service will render consistently high-quality images and services. Tests done semiannually for Quality Control = Itis the technologists job to understand and pick up if there is a problem with the ‘equipment - Iti the physicists job to measure the equipment to the appropriate setting and the service engineers do the calibrating. Focal Spot Size Estimation Line pair resolution tool, star test patterns, and pinhole cameras are used. All are used to analyze the focal spot size. The variance tolerated to 50 percent. Half-Value Layer Dosimetry equipment is used to measure the quantity and quality of the aluminium filtration that will reduce the beam intensity to half the original value. Collimator, central ray, and bucky tray accuracy A collimator test tube is used to ensure accuracy. An SID difference of 2 percent or less is the acceptable amount between the primary beam image and the light field size Distance and centering indicators’ accuracy Assurance that distance and centering are accurate through testing with a distance indicator. Distance indicators are tested to ensure they are close to 10 percent from the ideal spot, and centering indicators must be around 2 percent from where the center should be. ‘Angulator or protractor accuracy A large protractor is used for angle Measurements and a level to verify that locks, ‘stops, and detents are set to establish horizontal and perpendicular surfacesKilovoltage Accuracy ‘Tend to drift from accuracy over time - Computerized dosimeters provide digital readouts or printouts of average and single-pulse kVp, if settings drift beyond 5 of what was set it needs to be adjusted - Tested annually by physicist Timer Accuracy - Also drifts over time - Verification and calibration of the time ‘ensure technique exposure charts will produce diagnostic-quality images - Exposure time settings must be maintained to 5 percent of what the label reads to ensure accuracy- = Checked annually by the physicist Protective Apparel -Technologists fluoro lead aprons,gloves, thyroid shields for holes/cracks - Photometer used to measure light intensity - 10 % variance allowedmR/mAs and milamperage linearity mA settings drift over time Comparative measurements are made after time and kVp accuracy have been verified Computerized dosimeters provide digital readouts of mR/mAS measurements MA stations should read out to 10 percent of each other Exposure reproducibility Checked because generators must be capable of repeating exposures accurately Test is done by taking several exposures with the same techniques and the computerized dosimeter provides digital readouts or printouts of mR/mAS ‘Must be maintained within 5 percent of each other, if not the entire series of tube and generator tests should be analyzed to attempt to isolate the problem Other technologists responsibilities include weekly cleaning and inspecting receptors, cleaning air intakes of the imaging plate reader, clean display screen, and clean computer keyboard and mouse.