QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN DIAGNOSTIC-IMAGING

Quality assessment is increasingly important in medicine in general as well as in diagnostic imaging. Quality in medicine includes state-of-the-art procedures, patient satisfaction, economic aspects, safety and access to adequate care for the entire population. In order to measure quality more specifically in diagnostic imaging, several levels of efficacy have been defined. These include technical efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, diagnostic-thinking efficacy, therapeutic efficacy, outcome efficacy, and societal efficacy. Major factors in improving quality in diagnostic imaging include the expanded access to and use of databases, progress in continuing education, and increased research activities.