Evaluation of Conventional Radiographic Systems in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences: A Multi-Centric Quality Control Study

Abstract

Introduction: Generally, the benefits of radiological examinations performed on individuals far outweigh their risks; however, this is not true when the radiographic system fails to work properly. Therefore, to avoid such errors, it is crucial to frequently perform Quality Control (QC) checks in an imaging facility.

Material and Methods: A total of 11 highly-referred centers out of 62 radiology rooms located in Yazd province were included in this investigation, and QC tests comprising light/radiation field alignment, the accuracy of kilovoltage and exposure time, reproducibility of kilovoltage, exposure time, and output, and linearity of output against exposure time and milliamperage were performed for each equipment. The light and radiation field alignment test were carried out by a quantitative assessment of digital images of a collimator template (PTW-Freiburg, Germany). The measurements were made by a Barracuda package and a Multi-Purpose Detector (MPD).

Results: In terms of the light/radiation field alignment check, unit A failed to satisfy the national regulations. Concerning the timer reproducibility, 64% of the units failed to meet the criteria. All of the devices passed the rest of the checks satisfactorily.

Conclusion: This study uncovered that most of the radiology rooms in Yazd province are in an adequate situation based on the QC tests; however, more than half of the units do not satisfy the timer reproducibility criteria. Hence, more supervision needs to be directed at these systems by qualified radiation safety officers who are responsible for the protection of the population against ionization radiation.