Professional paper

https://doi.org/10.24141/1/5/2/13

Our experience in the implementation of computer tomography quality control program ˗ a multidisciplinary approach

Katrin Nedeljko ; Zdravstveno veleučilište Zagreb
Martina Paragi ; Zdravstveno veleučilište Zagreb
Ardita Jahaj ; Zdravstveno veleučilište Zagreb
Slaven Jurković ; Zavod za medicinsku fiziku i zaštitu od zračenja, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Ana Diklić ; Zavod za medicinsku fiziku i zaštitu od zračenja, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka
Doris Šegota ; Zavod za medicinsku fiziku i zaštitu od zračenja, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka
Klaudija Višković ; Zdravstveno veleučilište Zagreb, Klinika za infektivne bolesti „Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Zagreb

Abstract

According to the Article 33 of the Act on Radiological and Nuclear Safety (Official Gazette 141/13; 39/15; 130/17; 118/18), Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Ordinance on the conditions and measures of ionising radiation protection for performing activities involving ionising radiation sources (Official Gazette 53/18), radiological departments in Croatia that conduct diagnostic and interventional procedures in medicine using X-ray units should establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) programme for sources of ionizing radiation. Parameters that should be measured are defined in the Annexes 3-12 of the Ordinance on the conditions and measures of ionising radiation protection for performing activities involving ionising radiation sources (Official Gazette 53/18). Daily tests are performed by radiologic technologists, while more complex procedures are conducted by medical physicists, monthly or annually. While performing QC procedures, different scanning equipment is used to evaluate device parameters. In case of deviations from the recommended results, corrective measures for irregularity correction should be applied. All procedures must be registered and reported to the competent persons and institutions. The aim of this paper is to present a multidisciplinary approach in the QC program for the computed tomography (CT) scanner at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases (UHID) in Zagreb, from March to September 2018. A multidisciplinary team consisted of radiologic technologists and a radiologist from UHID, radiologic technology students from the University of Applied Health Sciences in Zagreb and medical physicists from the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka. Physicists advise radiologic technologists on the technical improvements in order to achieve the most efficient performance in their everyday QC procedures. All tested parameters were acceptable except for the detection of ring artefacts. To eliminate ring artefacts the head of the Department of Radiology and Ultrasound of the UHID and the principal radiologic technologist contacted the company certified for CT technical service and maintenance. Service engineer performed detector calibration procedure (with CT calibration phantoms) for CT number adjustment and image ring artefacts correction.

Keywords

quality assurance; quality control; computed tomography; multidisciplinary approach; radiologic technologists; medical physicists; radiologic technology students

Hrčak ID:

226600

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/226600

Publication date:

15.10.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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