In the field of diagnostic radiology, quality assurance (QA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the required quality standards and safety practices are in place, and that diagnoses are efficient and accurate, leading to improved outcomes for patients. In collaboration with the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, USA, and as part of an ongoing regional technical cooperation (TC) project[1], the IAEA recently conducted a virtual regional training course to support professionals in the Caribbean in their application of quality practices in diagnostic radiology.
The IAEA continues to provide support to countries to help improve their delivery of radiation medicine services, both through virtual events and remote learning. Originally planned as a face-to-face training course with practical sessions, the event was converted to an online course. Held from 28 September to 8 October, it provided technical guidance on quality assurance and quality control for image optimization and radiation protection of patients and workers.
“There is a wealth of evidence showing that quality assurance has a positive impact on improving image quality during routine clinical practice,” said Virginia Tsapaki, Diagnostic Radiology Medical Physicist at the IAEA’s Dosimetry and Medical Radiation Physics Section. “Building a quality culture is important since poor quality imaging can impair diagnoses and contribute to unnecessary radiation exposure for both patients and staff.”