Which QC parameters should be tested annually?

Which QC parameters should be tested annually?

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 1 and 3
• C. 2 and 3
• D. 1, 2, and 3

Answer: (B)

In QA testing for radiography, you schedule tests by how quickly a parameter tends to drift and how much it affects dose and image quality. Tests that are done annually should reflect long-term system performance and overall image consistency, not the ones that need constant checking due to day-to-day variability. The two parameters that fit an annual schedule are the ones that measure the system’s geometry/alignment and its long-term consistency of output, which together show whether the equipment remains in proper working condition over a year. The parameter that is typically checked more frequently—because it can vary more with use and directly impacts dose and immediate image reproducibility—is not included in the annual set. So, the choice that includes the two long-term, stability-focused tests aligns with performing QC once a year.

In QA testing for radiography, you schedule tests by how quickly a parameter tends to drift and how much it affects dose and image quality. Tests that are done annually should reflect long-term system performance and overall image consistency, not the ones that need constant checking due to day-to-day variability.

The two parameters that fit an annual schedule are the ones that measure the system’s geometry/alignment and its long-term consistency of output, which together show whether the equipment remains in proper working condition over a year. The parameter that is typically checked more frequently—because it can vary more with use and directly impacts dose and immediate image reproducibility—is not included in the annual set.

So, the choice that includes the two long-term, stability-focused tests aligns with performing QC once a year.