Evaluation of Radiographic Quality in the x-ray Department of Bahri Hospital

Abstract

From the study of the Radiographic quality in x-ray department of Bahry Hospital, a number of repeated films is high which is 23.27% (470 films) from the total number 2020, the permissible limit of repetition must not more than 15%. This is increase by 8.27% in x-ray department, the acceptable radiograph percentage is 55% (1111 films), and the high quality radiograph is 21.73% (439 films). The reasons of repetition are around three causes mainly, which is under and over exposure, technique, and fog + artifact. Under exposure percentage is 31.48%(148), technique is 26.38%(124), fog and artifact is 21.48%(101), over exposure 10.63%(50). The minimum causes of repetition is due to processing which are a causes of decrease the image quality but not repeated it. The most radiographs repeated are the imaging of mastoid air cells, paranasal sinuses, pelvis, plevimetry and abdomen. Repeated due to increase or decrease of exposure factor is due to two causes first the x-ray machine which is needed to check always because it very old, second cause and a very important, the selection of exposure factors, which is a 6 responsibility of technologist, the good selection of exposure factor in spite of the problems of x-ray machine is for technologist, who’s must take care of that problem before selection exposure factors. Some or few variable in exposure factors may lead to decrease the quality of the images but not repeated. The second cause of repetition is technique and this is responsibility of the technologist. The last cause of the most repeated films is the fog and artifact, the most image repeated for this causes is the images of chest which its diagnosis is very fine and any artifacts may lead to false diagnosis, the numbers of repeated chest images due to this cause is 37 film also imaging of pelvis for the same cause is 20 film. Imaging of chest or pelvis except the pediatric imaging need large films, this large film is using in imaging of limbs which is always contains plaster, which is be residual in the cassettes which are not cleaned, also imaging of urinary tract and alimentary tract which are using contrast media which may be also fall on the cassettes or a prone or table and appear on the image, when these cassettes or a prone or table are not cleaned immediately after investigations, also the main cause of repeated due to fog + artifact, the number of cassettes using in the department is few, there are just two cassette in size ( A) 7 which is use for a lot of images, and that lead to contaminated the cassette by the contrast which is not cleaned immediately. Also the intensifying screen inside the cassettes may be contaminated by the wet hand of the technologist because there is no presence of handkerchief in the darkroom. Fog which is mainly by increase the temperature of the darkroom and the high humidity, and that is for no good ventilation in the dark room, and for improper safe light, also the light leakage in the darkroom through opening surrounding the window and the air condition, and also through the cassettes when are not close very well. There are some factors additional to all that factors decrease the quality of the radiograph which are the improper washing and drying for radiographs, the causes of that are the high numbers of investigations done and a few number of hangers used, and not available for proper drying.