Avaliação da qualidade de equipamentos de Raios-X convencional no Hospital Central de Maputo

Abstract

Providing a safe diagnosis to patients is extremely important in radiodiagnostic procedures, as optimizing the dose to the patient, without compromising image quality, is a responsibility of medical physicists within an imaging radiology service. The main parameters to be evaluated in this procedure are related to the conditions of the X-ray equipment and the equipment operators. In order to establish good image quality, without compromising these parameters. Equipment quality control and dosimetry quality tests were carried out at the Radiology Service of the Maputo Central Hospital. Alignment between radiation field and light field within IAEA tolerances, indicating good alignment. Tube voltage accuracy values are within IAEA standards (-4.57%, -4.85%, -5.77%). Tube voltage reproducibility values, also within standards (1.16%, 0.8%, 2.51%). Tube yield of 17.19 μGy/mAs, below that recommended by the IAEA (25 μGy/mAs to 80 μGy/mAs). Exposure time test with accuracy (4%, 2.8%, 2.5%, 1.8%, 1.4%) and reproducibility results (0%, 0.64%, 0%, 0.40 %, 0.32%) which are within IAEA tolerances. Air kerma linearity is outside IAEA standards (45%), indicating the need for verification and recalibration. Skin entry kerma test, skin entry dose results within IAEA standards (±30%). Semi-Reducing Layer Test there were difficulties in execution due to the lack of aluminum plates, CSR/HVL value obtained (0.58 mm) suggests expected correlation. Carrying out quality control tests on a regular basis and adequate maintenance of this equipment are essential to guarantee patient safety and the quality of radiological diagnoses. However, it is concluded that this research contributed objectively to the evaluation of the tested equipment and incorporated methodologies to facilitate the performance of quality control tests on X-ray equipment, which will allow an improvement in the quality of diagnosis in the country.