Ultrasound Quality Control: A Practical Overview of Tests, Methods, and ACR Accreditation Requirements Nicholas J Hangiandreou, PhD Associate Professor of Medical Physics Department of Radiology Mayo Clinic and Foundation Rochester, Minnesota [email protected] * Outline of topics  Overview of new QC requirements in the ACR Ultrasound and Breast Ultrasound accreditation programs  Annual survey test methods  Routine QC test methods  Does QC testing add value in ultrasound?  Conclusions New QC requirements in the ACR Ultrasound and Breast Ultrasound accreditation programs  Effective June 1, 2014  Includes acceptance testing, annual performance survey, routine QC, and preventive maintenance Maximize the value of QC investment   Application & renewal submissions require annual survey reports  Physicist involvement is www.ACR.org “strongly recommended”  Specific tests are required for annual survey and routine QC All probes must be tested  Acceptance test ~ annual survey tests   An Ultrasound QC Manual does not yet exist Specific testing methods are not  prescribed (subjective and objective methods are acceptable) Use of phantom(s) or test object(s) is  required, but no specific vendor or model is given, and custom test objects are acceptable No specific pass/fail performance  criteria are prescribed Annual survey tests Annual survey test methods Physical and mechanical inspection  Scanner  Probes Wheel locks Face   Monitor bezel Handle / housing   Keyboard Cable connection to   handle, strain relief Power cable  Cable Probe ports   Connector Ancillary equipment   (auxiliary display, probe etc  tracking system, etc) etc  Examples F Inoperable wheel locks Examples Pass / fail decisions are often subjective Image uniformity & artifact survey  Most effective test for identifying problems  Scan a test object/phantom Optimize scan parameters for greatest sensitivity  Time-varying phantom speckle signal   View live scan images Debug any artifacts observed   Export phantom & in-air clips Retrospectively cine review  Process  median or mean image   Assess severity of detected artifacts, and determine needed action