ABSTRACT
Quality assurance (QA) of computed tomography (CT) scanners is motivated by three primary performance endpoints: safety, mechanical, and image quality. The format of this chapter follows this classification, with each of the following sections relating to a specific test or tests that can be categorized under one of those three components. Both a description of the purpose of the test(s) as well as how to carry it out are included. CT QA can further be categorized by frequency, and this will also be discussed for every example. Certain tests, such as surveys to verify adequacy of room, need only be done initially, or following major changes to the room or device, while other tests should be carried out on a daily basis. Typically, frequency of testing can be broken down into daily, monthly, annual, and one-off intervals. It is also important to note that, while guidance documents on the recommended frequency of different tests do exist (Mutic et al. 2003), they are no more than recommendations, and it is the responsibility of the authorized medical physicist to adapt these recommendations to the needs of his or her clinic. The same is true for the majority of test tolerances. Finally, different vendors may have different and/or additional test recommendations to those discussed in this chapter. While they are likely to be similar in nature and purpose to what is discussed here, the authorized medical physicist should consult the manufacturer of their scanner for specific recommendations on tests and equipment.
