Quality assurance in diagnostic radiology--for its own sake or that of the patient.

X-Ray departments are expensive to equip and run. This paper illustrates how a quality assurance programme may help to limit the wastage of resources. The production of good quality medical X-ray images is extremely complex and can only be guaranteed by implementing some form of quality assurance programme. The exposure of patients to X-rays also entails a risk of radiation injury and a quality assurance programme is necessary in order to limit this risk to a level as low as reasonably practicable. Because of this, in countries within the CEC, legislation now requires such a programme to be implemented. The aims of a QA programme are defined, and the implications arising from these aims are discussed. The role of international organisations in helping to achieve these aims is also discussed. The pitfalls of a QA programme in radiology are also identified particularly: (1) the tendency to carry out a large programme and acquire a considerable amount of data so that the original aims are obscured; (2) the possibility of carrying out tests which are expensive to perform and are not cost effective and (3) the failure to adapt constantly the content of the QA programme to the ever changing needs of the local department and the radiological community generally. The various components of a QA programme are presented together with illustrations of their possible impact on the standard of work of the X-ray department. These include: (1) resource management through film reject analysis; (2) patient dose measurements; (3) equipment inspection programme; (4) equipment maintenance programme; (5) training and education of staff.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)