Digital Display Devices

Difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control?

QA: Deals with patients and services.

QC: Ensures exam safety, provide high quality images, equipment tested prior to use, maintain department licensing.

What does Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) pertain to?

The focus of improving the process at which employees function as team members for patient care.

What is TJC stand for and what are they in charge of?

The Joint Commission makes sure everyone is providing high-quality services and care.

What are the 3 steps of a QC program?

• Acceptance testing

• Performance monitoring

• Error Maintenance.
  
  (A.P.E)

What is Acceptance Testing?

Tests that the x-ray machine undergoes during installation or major repair to determine if the unit is working properly.

What is performance maintenance?

Various tests that are performed daily, monthly, quarterly, and annually to avoid equipment failure.

What is error maintenance?

Occurs when the equipment is performing poorly.

List 5 of the physicist’s annual tests that they perform on the x-ray equipment.

• Noise

• Spatial resolution

• Contrast resolution

• Detector calibration

• AEC testing

• kVp Calibration

• Plate reader calibration

• Residual signal erase

• Image artifacts

• Repeat Analysis

• Repeat analysis

• Collimation

• Monitor & Display function

• Luminance & reflection testing

What document completed by physicists and techs to complete daily, monthly and quarterly tests? (Hint: A.f.D.P.f.M.I.S)

Assessment for Display Performance for Medical Imaging Systems

What does SMPTE stand for?

Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers

What is SMPTE used for?

To determine whether contrast/brightness settings are acceptable on a digital display.

What is the AAPM TG 18 test?

Test involving a pattern to assess a monitor’s adjustment & calibration. (This test if used more often than SMPTE)

What purpose does a photometer serve?

To measure luminescence of a workstation monitor.

List 5 of the elements of a QC program.

• Filtration

• Collimation

• Focal Spot Size

• Spatial resolution

• kVp Calibration

• Exposure Timer Accuracy

• Exposure linearity

• Exposure reproducibility

How is a filtration test conducted?

By measuring the HVL annually.

What is evaluated during a collimation test?

Beam alignment is checked to determine if the beam is perpendicular to the IR

When is a small or large focal spot used?

Small = When spatial resolution is needed.

Large = When a short exposure time is used or when more x-rays are needed to penetrate anatomy.

What is the purpose of a PSP uniformity test?

To assess the overall uniformity of the recorded signal from an exposed IP

What is evaluated during a PSP Erasure Thoroughness Test?

Test ensures minimal residual signal (ghosting).

What is exposure linearity?

The ability of an x-ray unit to produce constant radiation output for various combos of mA and exposure time.

What is exposure reproducibility?

Tests kVp, mA, and time in successive exposures.

What is the entrance skin exposure average during a fluoro exam?

3-5 rads/min

What is the state law for entrance skin exposure pertaining to fluoro exams?

Normal fluoro = 10r/min

Interventional = 20r/min