Abstract
PurposeTo describe a custom‐built, web‐based MR Quality Control (QC) database, and to assess its impact on the QC workflow and outcomes in a large U.S. academic medical center.MethodsThe MR QC database was built with Microsoft Access 2010 and published on a Microsoft Sharepoint website owned and maintained by the authors' institution. Authorized users can access the database remotely with mainstream web browsers on any institutional computers. QC technologists were granted access to add, review, and print daily and weekly QC records. Qualified medical physicists (QMPs) were granted additional access to edit, review, and approve existing QC records and to change tolerance limits. A macro was utilized to conduct an automatic weekly review of QC status and to email the results to a QMP. This web‐based QC database was implemented on 17 clinical MRIs at the authors' institution. Weekly ACR QC findings within one year before and after implementation were compared.ResultsWe analyzed 158 QC issues detected by the web‐based database and 127 QC issues identified in conventional paper records before we implemented the database. The web‐based database significantly reduced the number of QC issues due to technologist error (before/after: 59/24 cases, P < 0.0001) but did not affect the number of QC issues related to scanner performance (before/after: 49/46 cases, P = 1). Further analysis revealed that the web‐based database significantly reduced the average time for the QMPs to identify a QC issue (before/after: 177 ± 110/2 ± 2 days, P < 0.0001) and time to correction (before/after: 81 ± 102/7 ± 8 days, P < 0.0001). The correction rate also significantly increased (before/after: 22%/99%, P < 0.0001).ConclusionThe web‐based QC database provides a positive impact on our MR QC workflow and outcomes. It simplifies QC workflow, enables early detection of quality issues, and facilitates quick resolution of problems that may affect the quality of clinical MRI studies.
Highlights
Quality control (QC) is an essential component of radiologic practice
The MR QC database was smoothly implemented at all imaging facilities without any complaints from the technologists
The QC technologists mastered the new tool within a short time (Fig. 3)
Summary
Quality control (QC) is an essential component of radiologic practice. A well‐designed and well‐executed QC program allows for imaging service providers to identify problems in the early stage of their manifestation and to take proper corrective actions with minimal interruption to clinical service. Under the technical oversight of QMPs and the supervision of radiologists, they play a vital role in maintaining high quality performance of imaging equipment. They conduct basic QC testing on a daily or weekly basis, report quality issues to the supervising QMPs and radiologists, and initiate corrective actions following QMP's instructions. This mechanism, could be substantially compromised by human error or negligence. Quality issues could persist and accumulate in the clinical operation of radiologic imaging services for a prolonged period before they are identified, potentially leading to decreased patient care quality or safety and citations by regulatory agencies or accrediting bodies
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