The Development of an X-ray Equipment Quality Control Project in Tokyo Metropolitan Hospitals

Abstract

For the purpose of maintaining the high performance of diagnostic X-ray equipment in Tokyo metropolitan hospitals and improving the quality control technology, an X-ray equipment quality control project was developed jointly with the Tokyo metropolitan hospital's 7 facilities. Using indirect measurement system composed of non-invasive measuring instrument and X-ray output waveform measuring instrument developed in this university, quality control was done at each hospital in a handed-round method at 6-month intervals. The system was calibrated at the university prior to the project execution and the identical measurement conditions were maintained to assure measurement precision. Quality control items included X-ray tube voltage, X-ray tube current, exposure time, reproducibility of X-ray output for general radiographic X-ray equipments. As a result, the quality control of X-ray equipment the measurement of which was difficult in the clinical facilities before could be done with high precision and the availability of the system was supported. The development of this project enabled maintenance of the equipment quality, discovery of early troubles, comparison between hospitals. It was also useful for the improvement of the patient service.