Improved X-Ray Safety, Quality Control, and Resource Management in Medical Imaging Using QATrack

Introduction/Background: Management of a quality assurance program in diagnostic imaging involves a variety of machine types, multiple vendors, and a large number of frontline staff who have different specializations. Standardizing tests across multiple platforms in the face of vendor recommendations, regulatory requirements, and professional practice protocols can present challenges to maintain a robust and coherent quality assurance program. The current work presents a unique application of an existing tool that can be used to manage a comprehensive quality assurance program in a diagnostic imaging department. Materials and Methods: QATrackthorn is an open source, quality assurance platform originally developed for and currently widely used in radiation therapy departments. The use of QATrackthorn for quality assurance program management within a large diagnostic imaging department is a novel use of this tool. Results and Discussion: QATrackthorn was successfully implemented in a large, multisite diagnostic imaging department. The progression toward a single platform for the quality assurance program has addressed issues of end of life with previous software packages and has improved the standardization of testing across the institution. The configuration of the software has enabled frontline staff to be directly engaged in the quality control (QC) program, improving the efficiency of resource allocation for QC and promoting a strong safety culture and commitment to quality. Trending tools within QATrackthorn allow for simplified review of tests and enable the early identification of potential failures. Conclusion: Originally developed for radiation therapy programs, QATrackthorn is well suited to applications within diagnostic imaging. It is versatile and is easily adapted to the individual needs of a department for activities ranging from quality control testing, scheduling, test review, and data trending. It simplifies the standardization of quality control practices across platforms, thereby facilitating training and promoting involvement in the quality assurance program by all staff.