Computed radiography dose data mining and surveillance as an ongoing quality assurance improvement process.
OBJECTIVE
A data-mining program extracts computed radiography (CR) sensitivity-number (S-number) information from the PACS at our institution on a monthly basis as an ongoing quality assurance (QA) improvement project. These data are compared with the previous month's data and departmental S-number goals. The results are presented at monthly QA meetings. The S-number trends are then used by technologists to modify radiographic technique charts to reach the departmental S-number target range goals.


CONCLUSIONS
This cyclic QA improvement process shows that mining PACS data can be useful in reducing patient radiation dose and interexamination dose variance.
Stewart
Brent K
BK
Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195-7987, USA. bstewart@u.washington.edu
Kanal
Kalpana M
KM
Perdue
James R
JR
Mann
Frederick A
FA
D000465:Algorithms; D003628:Database Management Systems; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D009862:Online Systems; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014861:Washington