RADIOLOGY EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT AT CSSH

As Columbia university environmental health and safety programs and recommendations, quality
assurance of the radiology department have to be employed to produce consistently high-quality images
with minimum exposure for the patients.
Quality administration procedures are those management actions which grantee that monitoring
techniques are properly performed and corrections are taken in response to monitoring results {quality
assurance frame work}.

X-ray system: - is the components that controlled the production of images;

{high-voltage generator, x-ray control, tube housing assembly, beam limiting device “diaphragm”,
vertical buky, table buky, x-ray table, image receptor “DR or CR CASSITE”.

CT system: - {CT tube and lazier system, CT table, computer and screens, work station, automatic
injector” the pump”}.
Primary responsibility for implementing quality assurance is for the radiology head.
Radiographers are being delegated the basic quality assurance role, monitoring maintenance and quality
procedures, identifying and revealing problems which requiring actions beyond their training.
Purchase specifications: - the staff of radiology should determine the desired performance specifications
for the equipment before purchasing.
By the time of installation, the vendor should conduct equipment performance to ensure that it meet the
state regularity requirements.
The equipment should not be accepted until the vendor has made the necessary corrections, records of
acceptance should be retained throughout the life time of the equipment for comparison with monitoring
results, in order to assess continued acceptability of performance.

Monitoring and maintenance: -

Regular schedule for routine quality control monitoring and maintenance system, the propose is to ensure
permit evaluation of performance in terms of standards of image quality compliance with applicable laws
and regulations.
The purpose of maintenance program includes corrective maintenance is to eliminate problems reviled by
monitoring before they have a serious deleterious impact on patient care.
Preventive maintenance to prevent unexpected breakdowns of equipment and disruption of departmental
routine.
Basic performance characteristic of the x-ray and CT units.
Preventive and corrective maintenance {resolution, focusing, distortion, glare, low contrast, performance,
physical alignment of tube and collimating system “diaphragm”, linearity and reproducibility of MA
stations, accuracy of timer stations, KVP stations, source-to film distance “FRD” indicators, light of the x-
ray filed congruence, focal spot size consistency, representative entrance skin exposure.
Software 3 times yearly, all other components 2 times yearly.
CT depth and cut thickness, resolution, exposure, precision “noise”, contrast scale, high and low contrast
resolution, alignment.

Preventive maintenance: - regularly schedule basis with the goal of preventing breakdowns.

Visual inspection of the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the x-ray system, condition of the
cables, watching the tomographic units for smoothness of motion, assuring cleaning of any spilling
contaminations in the examination room, listening to unusual sound in the moving parts.

Following the manufacturer’s recommended procedures for cleaning and maintenance, warm up x-ray
and CT system after ~2 hours rest, daily calibration of CT system.

Regular inspection and replacement of switches and parts that routinely wear out or fail.
Corrective maintenance should be carried out to eliminate the potential or actual problems before they
cause a major impact on patient care.
Standards for image quality have to be monitored by professional personnel {routinely review}.
To elevate the performance of the x-ray systems and determine whether corrective actions are needed to
adjust the equipment to meet the quality standards, examination of the equipment, repair and replacement
costs have to be recorded.
Day-to-day basis monitoring for data and comparing this data with the purchase specifications and
acceptance testing results.
Radiographs, occurrence complaints and repeated radiographs and its reasons “clinic quality”, analysis for
the retake rate “reject rate” and its causes are often the most useful in evaluation to make improvement
and corrections, and determine whether the corrective actions were effective.
The number of rejects should be recorded daily or weekly with the reason for rejection.

Records should be made available to the vendors to help them provide better services.

Training for all quality assurance responsible should be specific to the clinic and the equipment under the
supervision of experienced instructors either in the clinic or in a special program.
ELARABI SEDDIK MOHAMED

RADIOGRAPHER AT CSSH