Evaluation of procedures for quality assurance specifications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-10-01

The objective of this project was to develop a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) manual, supported by scientific evidence and statistical theory, which provides step-by-step procedures and instructions for developing effective and efficient QA spe...

Quality Assurance for Essential Climate Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folkert Boersma, K.; Muller, Jan-Peter

2015-04-01

Satellite data are of central interest to the QA4ECV project. Satellites have revolutionized the Earth's observation system of climate change and air quality over the past three decades, providing continuous data for the entire Earth. However, many users of these data are lost in the fog as to the quality of these satellite data. Because of this, the European Union expressed in its 2013 FP7 Space Research Call a need for reliable, traceable, and understandable quality information on satellite data records that could serve as a blueprint contribution to a future Copernicus Climate Change Service. The potential of satellite data to benefit climate change and air quality services is too great to be ignored. QA4ECV therefore bridges the gap between end-users of satellite data and the satellite data products. We are developing an internationally acceptable Quality Assurance (QA) framework that provides understandable and traceable quality information for satellite data used in climate and air quality services. Such a framework should deliver the historically linked long-term data sets that users need, in a format that they can readily use. QA4ECV has approached more than 150 users and suppliers of satellite data to collect their needs and expectations. The project will use their response as a guideline for developing user-friendly tools to obtain information on the completeness, accuracy, and fitness-for-purpose of the satellite datasets. QA4ECV collaborates with 4 joint FP7 Space projects in reaching out to scientists, policy makers, and other end-users of satellite data to improve understanding of the special challenges -and also opportunities- of working with satellite data for climate and air quality purposes. As a demonstration of its capacity, QA4ECV will generate multi-decadal climate data records for 3 atmospheric ECV precursors (nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide) and 3 land ECVs (albedo, leaf area index and absorbed photosynthetically active

Revision 2 of the Enbridge Quality Assurance Project Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) presents Revision 2 of the organization, objectives, planned activities, and specific quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures associated with the Enbridge Marshall Pipeline Release Project.

Implementing hospital quality assurance policies in Iran: balancing licensing, annual evaluation, inspections and quality management systems.

PubMed

Aghaei Hashjin, Asgar; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Kringos, Dionne S; Tabibi, Seyed Jamaladin; Manouchehri, Jila; Klazinga, Niek S

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of applied hospital quality assurance (QA) policies in Iran. A mixed method (quantitative data and qualitative document analysis) study was carried out between 1996 and 2010. The QA policy cycle forms a tight monitoring system to assure hospital quality by combining mandatory and voluntary methods in Iran. The licensing, annual evaluation and grading, and regulatory inspections statutorily implemented by the government as a national package to assure and improve hospital care quality, while implementing quality management systems (QMS) was voluntary for hospitals. The government's strong QA policy legislation role and support has been an important factor for successful QA implementation in Iran, though it may affected QA assessment independency and validity. Increased hospital evaluation independency and repositioning, updating standards, professional involvement and effectiveness studies could increase QA policy impact and maturity. The study highlights the current QA policy implementation cycle in Iranian hospitals. It provides a basis for further quality strategy development in Iranian hospitals and elsewhere. It also raises attention about finding the optimal balance between different QA policies, which is topical for many countries. This paper describes experiences when implementing a unique approach, combining mandatory and voluntary QA policies simultaneously in a developing country, which has invested considerably over time to improve hospital quality. The experiences with a mixed obligatory/voluntary approach and comprehensive policies in Iran may contain lessons for policy makers in developing and developed countries.

National Ignition Facility quality assurance program plan revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolfe, C R

1998-06-01

NIF Project activities will be conducted in a manner consistent with the guidance and direction of the DOE Order on Quality Assurance (414.1), the LLNL QA Program, and the Laser Directorate QA Plan. Quality assurance criteria will be applied in a graded manner to achieve a balance between the rigor of application of QA measures and the scale, cost, and complexity of the work involved. Accountability for quality is everyone's, extending from the Project Manager through established lines of authority to all Project personnel, who are responsible for the requisite quality of their own work. The NLF QA Program willmore » be implemented by personnel conducting their activities to meet requirements and expectations, according to established plans and procedures that reflect the way business is to be conducted on the Project.« less

Quality Assurance and Control Considerations in Environmental Measurements and Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sedlet, Jacob

1982-06-01

Quality assurance and quality control have become accepted as essential parts of all environmental surveillance, measurements, and monitoring programs, both nuclear and non-nuclear. The same principles and details apply to each. It is primarily the final measurement technique that differs. As the desire and need to measure smaller amounts of pollutants with greater accuracy has increased, it has been recognized that quality assurance and control programs are cost-effective in achieving the expected results. Quality assurance (QA) consists of all the actions necessary to provide confidence in the results. Quality control (QC) is a part of QA, and consists of those actions and activities that permit the control of the individual steps in the environmental program. The distinction between the two terms is not always clearly defined, but a sharp division is not necessary. The essential principle of QA and QC is a commitment to high quality results. The essential components of a QA and QC program are a complete, written procedures manual for all parts of the environmental program, the use of standard or validated procedures, participation in applicable interlaboratory comparison or QA programs, replicate analysis and measurement, training of personnel, and a means of auditing or checking that the QA and QC programs are properly conducted. These components are discussed below in some detail.

Quality assurance for gamma knives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, E.D.; Banks, W.W.; Fischer, L.E.

1995-09-01

This report describes and summarizes the results of a quality assurance (QA) study of the Gamma Knife, a nuclear medical device used for the gamma irradiation of intracranial lesions. Focus was on the physical aspects of QA and did not address issues that are essentially medical, such as patient selection or prescription of dose. A risk-based QA assessment approach was used. Sample programs for quality control and assurance are included. The use of the Gamma Knife was found to conform to existing standards and guidelines concerning radiation safety and quality control of external beam therapies (shielding, safety reviews, radiation surveys,more » interlock systems, exposure monitoring, good medical physics practices, etc.) and to be compliant with NRC teletherapy regulations. There are, however, current practices for the Gamma Knife not covered by existing, formalized regulations, standards, or guidelines. These practices have been adopted by Gamma Knife users and continue to be developed with further experience. Some of these have appeared in publications or presentations and are slowly finding their way into recommendations of professional organizations.« less

Quality Assurance in Post-Secondary Education: Some Common Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Dennis Chung Sea

2010-01-01

Purpose: The common approaches to quality assurance (QA), as practiced by most post-secondary education institutions for internal quality monitoring and most QA authorities for external quality monitoring (EQM), have been considered by many researchers as having largely failed to address the essence of educational quality. The purpose of this…

Material quality assurance risk assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

Over the past two decades the role of SHA has shifted from quality control (QC) of materials and : placement techniques to quality assurance (QA) and acceptance. The role of the Office of Materials : Technology (OMT) has been shifting towards assuran...

Quality Assurance in Turkish Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugday Ince, Sehriban; Gounko, Tatiana

2014-01-01

The implementation of quality assurance (QA) is one of the most challenging reform areas for Turkey due to the unique organization of its higher education system. This paper explores the development of QA systems in Turkish universities. Using a qualitative case study approach, the authors examine how Turkey accomplishes the goal of implementing…

Quality assurance in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Kouloulias, V E

2003-03-01

In 1999, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), being a European pioneer in the field of cancer research as well as in quality assurance (QA), launched an Emmanuel van der Schueren fellowship for QA in radiotherapy. In this paper, the work that has been done during the first E. van der Schueren fellowship is reported, focusing on four phase III EORTC clinical trials: 22921 for rectal cancer, 22961 and 22991 for prostate cancer and 22922 for breast cancer. A historical review of the QA programme of the EORTC Radiotherapy group during the past 20 years is included.

FINDING THE BALANCE - QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS VS. RESEARCH NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Investigators often misapply quality assurance (QA) procedures and may consider QA as a hindrance to developing test plans for sampling and analysis. If used properly, however, QA is the driving force for collecting the right kind and proper amount of data. Researchers must use Q...

FINDING THE BALANCE - QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS VS. RESEARCH NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Investigators often misapply quality assurance (QA) procedures and may consider QA as a hindrance to developing test plans for
sampling and analysis. If used properly, however, QA is the driving force for collecting the right kind and proper amount of data.
Researchers must...

Quality Assurance of Joint Degree Programs from the Perspective of Quality Assurance Agencies: Experience in East Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Yung-Chi; Ince, Martin; Tsai, Sandy; Wang, Wayne; Hung, Vicky; Lin Jiang, Chung; Chen, Karen Hui-Jung

2016-01-01

Joint degree programs have gained popularity in East Asia, due to the growth of transnational higher education in the region since 2000. However, the external quality assurance (QA) and accreditation of joint degree programs is a challenge for QA agencies, as it normally involves the engagement of several institutions and multiple national…

Evaluation of a Standardized Method of Quality Assurance in Mental Health Records: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradshaw, Kelsey M.; Donohue, Bradley; Fayeghi, Jasmine; Lee, Tiffany; Wilks, Chelsey R.; Ross, Brendon

2016-01-01

The widespread adoption of research-supported treatments by mental health providers has facilitated empirical development of quality assurance (QA) methods. Research in this area has focused on QA systems aimed at assuring the integrity of research-supported treatment implementation, while examination of QA systems to assure appropriate…

Rhetoric and Reality: The Irish Experience of Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzsimons, Camilla

2017-01-01

This paper shares the Irish adult educator's experiences of Quality Assurance (QA). Educators are found to be largely supportive of QA but contradictions emerge. These include philosophical tensions, inconsistent moderation and incongruence between the stated values of QA and a more powerful government-led employability discourse.

References on EPA Quality Assurance Project Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Provides requirements for the conduct of quality management practices, including quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities, for all environmental data collection and environmental technology programs performed by or for this Agency.

QA/QC in the laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hood, F.C.

1992-05-01

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of analytical chemistry laboratory activities are essential to the validity and usefulness of resultant data. However, in themselves, conventional QA/QC measures will not always ensure that fraudulent data are not generated. Conventional QA/QC measures are based on the assumption that work will be done in good faith; to assure against fraudulent practices, QA/QC measures must be tailored to specific analyses protocols in anticipation of intentional misapplication of those protocols. Application of specific QA/QC measures to ensure against fraudulent practices result in an increased administrative burden being placed on the analytical process; accordingly, in keepingmore » with graded QA philosophy, data quality objectives must be used to identify specific points of concern for special control to minimize the administrative impact.« less

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed Central

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-01-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas. PMID:1909197

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-07-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas.

Taxonomy-Based Approaches to Quality Assurance of Ontologies

PubMed Central

Perl, Yehoshua; Ochs, Christopher

2017-01-01

Ontologies are important components of health information management systems. As such, the quality of their content is of paramount importance. It has been proven to be practical to develop quality assurance (QA) methodologies based on automated identification of sets of concepts expected to have higher likelihood of errors. Four kinds of such sets (called QA-sets) organized around the themes of complex and uncommonly modeled concepts are introduced. A survey of different methodologies based on these QA-sets and the results of applying them to various ontologies are presented. Overall, following these approaches leads to higher QA yields and better utilization of QA personnel. The formulation of additional QA-set methodologies will further enhance the suite of available ontology QA tools. PMID:29158885

[A Quality Assurance (QA) System with a Web Camera for High-dose-rate Brachytherapy].

PubMed

Hirose, Asako; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Oohira, Shingo; Isono, Masaru; Tsujii, Katsutomo; Inui, Shouki; Masaoka, Akira; Taniguchi, Makoto; Miyazaki, Masayoshi; Teshima, Teruki

2016-03-01

The quality assurance (QA) system that simultaneously quantifies the position and duration of an (192)Ir source (dwell position and time) was developed and the performance of this system was evaluated in high-dose-rate brachytherapy. This QA system has two functions to verify and quantify dwell position and time by using a web camera. The web camera records 30 images per second in a range from 1,425 mm to 1,505 mm. A user verifies the source position from the web camera at real time. The source position and duration were quantified with the movie using in-house software which was applied with a template-matching technique. This QA system allowed verification of the absolute position in real time and quantification of dwell position and time simultaneously. It was evident from the verification of the system that the mean of step size errors was 0.31±0.1 mm and that of dwell time errors 0.1±0.0 s. Absolute position errors can be determined with an accuracy of 1.0 mm at all dwell points in three step sizes and dwell time errors with an accuracy of 0.1% in more than 10.0 s of the planned time. This system is to provide quick verification and quantification of the dwell position and time with high accuracy at various dwell positions without depending on the step size.

Evolution of Internal Quality Assurance at One University--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, David

2017-01-01

Purpose: Quality assurance (QA) at one University has evolved over the past 15 years through emerging National and European standards, various leadership initiatives and through the engagement of key stakeholders in co-designing and implementing internal QA processes. In 2000, the QA process was focussed mainly on quality review (QR) that involved…

Quality assurance, an administrative means to a managerial end: Part IV.

PubMed

Clark, G B

1992-01-01

This is the fourth and final part of a series of articles on laboratory quality surveillance. Part I addressed the historical background of medical quality assurance. Part II covered surveillance guidelines of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the College of American Pathologists with emphasis on quality assurance (QA) and the ten-step process. Part III focused on the JCAHO transition from QA to quality assessment and improvement. Part IV concludes the series by discussing the systematic identification of quality indicators in the total quality management and continuous quality improvement environment.

Quality Assurance in Higher Education: A Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Tricia

2015-01-01

This paper examines the literature surrounding quality assurance in global higher education. It provides an overview of accreditation as a mechanism to ensure quality in higher education, examines models of QA, and explores the concept of quality (including definitions of quality and quality assurance). In addition, this paper provides a review of…

Reliability and quality assurance on the MOD 2 wind system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, W. E. B.; Jones, B. G.

1981-01-01

The Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (R&QA) approach developed for the largest wind turbine generator, the Mod 2, is described. The R&QA approach assures that the machine is not hazardous to the public or to the operating personnel, is operated unattended on a utility grid, demonstrates reliable operation, and helps establish the quality assurance and maintainability requirements for future wind turbine projects. The significant guideline consisted of a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) during the design phase, hardware inspections during parts fabrication, and three simple documents to control activities during machine construction and operation.

The Landscape of Quality Assurance in Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scull, W. Reed; Kendrick, David; Shearer, Rick; Offerman, Dana

2011-01-01

Distance education permeates the field of professional and continuing education to such an extent that quality assurance (QA) is a topic no distance educator or administrator should avoid. Quality assurance is an issue not just for continuing education but also for higher education generally. Given the disruptive impact of distance education and…

Quality assurance guides health reform in Jordan.

PubMed

Abubaker, W; Abdulrahman, M

1996-01-01

In November 1995, a World Bank mission went to Jordan to conduct a study of the health sector. The study recommended three strategies to reform the health sector: decentralization of Ministry of Health (MOH) management; improvement of clinical practices, quality of care, and consumer satisfaction; and adoption of treatment protocols and standards. The MOH chose quality assurance (QA) methods and quality management (QM) techniques to accomplish these reforms. The Monitoring and QA Directorate oversees QA applications within MOH. It also institutes and develops the capacity of local QA units in the 12 governorates. The QA units implement and monitor day-to-day QA activities. The QM approach encompasses quality principles: establish objectives; use a systematic approach; teach lessons learned and applicable research; use QA training to teach quality care, quality improvement, and patient satisfaction; educate health personnel about QM approaches; use assessment tools and interviews; measure the needs and expectations of local health providers and patients; ensure feedback on QA improvement projects; ensure valid and reliable data; monitor quality improvement efforts; standardize systemic data collection and outcomes; and establish and disseminate QA standards and performance improvement efforts. The Jordan QA Project has helped with the successful institutionalization of a QA system at both the central and local levels. The bylaws of the QA councils and committees require team participation in the decision-making process. Over the last two years, the M&QA Project has adopted 21 standards for nursing, maternal and child health care centers, pharmacies, and medications. The Balqa pilot project has developed 44 such protocols. Quality improvement (COUGH) studies have examined hyper-allergy, analysis of patient flow rate, redistribution of nurses, vaccine waste, and anemic pregnant women. There are a considerable number of on-going clinical and non-clinical COUGH studies

Quality assurance and ergonomics in the mammography department.

PubMed

Reynolds, April

2014-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) in mammography is a system of checks that helps ensure the proper functioning of imaging equipment and processes. Ergonomics is a scientific approach to arranging the work environment to reduce the risk of work-related injuries while increasing staff productivity and job satisfaction. This article reviews both QA and ergonomics in mammography and explains how they work together to create a safe and healthy environment for radiologic technologists and their patients. QA and quality control requirements in mammography are discussed, along with ergonomic best practices in the mammography setting.

Development and Testing of a Nuclear Quality Assurance/Quality Control Technician Curriculum. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espy, John; And Others

A project was conducted to field test selected first- and second-year courses in a postsecondary nuclear quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) technician curriculum and to develop the teaching/learning modules for seven technical specialty courses remaining in the QA/QC technician curriculum. The field testing phase of the project involved the…

Quality Assurance in Online Education: The Universitas 21 Global Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chua, Alton; Lam, Wing

2007-01-01

Despite the proliferation of online education, concerns remain about the quality of online programmes. Quality assurance (QA) has become a prominent issue, not only for educational institutions and accreditors, but also for students and employers alike. This paper describes some of the rather unique QA processes used at Universitas 21 Global…

Data Validation & Laboratory Quality Assurance for Region 9

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In all hazardous site investigations it is essential to know the quality of the data used for decision-making purposes. Validation of data requires that appropriate quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures be followed.

Quality Assurance Project Plan Development Tool

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This tool contains information designed to assist in developing a Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan that meets EPA requirements for projects that involve surface or groundwater monitoring and/or the collection and analysis of water samples.

Quality Assurance and Improvement Practice in Mental Health Agencies: Roles, Activities, Targets and Contributions

PubMed Central

McMillen, Curtis; Zayas, Luis E.; Books, Samantha; Lee, Madeline

2009-01-01

Accompanying the rise in the number of mental health agency personnel tasked with quality assurance and improvement (QA/I) responsibilities is an increased need to understand the nature of the work these professionals undertake. Four aspects of the work of quality assurance and improvement (QA/I) professionals in mental health were explored in this qualitative study: their perceived roles, their major activities, their QA/I targets, and their contributions. In-person interviews were conducted with QA/I professionals at 16 mental health agencies. Respondents perceived their roles at varying levels of complexity, focused on different targets, and used different methods to conduct their work. Few targets of QA/I work served as indicators of high quality care. Most QA/I professionals provided concrete descriptions of how they had improved agency services, while others could describe none. Accreditation framed much of agency QA/I work, perhaps to its detriment. PMID:18688707

[Development of quality assurance/quality control web system in radiotherapy].

PubMed

Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Mochizuki, Toshihiko; Yokoyama, Kazutoshi; Wakita, Akihisa; Nakamura, Satoshi; Ueki, Heihachi; Shiozawa, Keiko; Sasaki, Koji; Fuse, Masashi; Abe, Yoshihisa; Itami, Jun

2013-12-01

Our purpose is to develop a QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) web system using a server-side script language such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), which can be useful as a tool to share information about QA/QC in radiotherapy. The system proposed in this study can be easily built in one's own institute, because HTML can be easily handled. There are two desired functions in a QA/QC web system: (i) To review the results of QA/QC for a radiotherapy machine, manuals, and reports necessary for routinely performing radiotherapy through this system. By disclosing the results, transparency can be maintained, (ii) To reveal a protocol for QA/QC in one's own institute using pictures and movies relating to QA/QC for simplicity's sake, which can also be used as an educational tool for junior radiation technologists and medical physicists. By using this system, not only administrators, but also all staff involved in radiotherapy, can obtain information about the conditions and accuracy of treatment machines through the QA/QC web system.

QA/QC in the laboratory. Session F

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hood, F.C.

1992-05-01

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of analytical chemistry laboratory activities are essential to the validity and usefulness of resultant data. However, in themselves, conventional QA/QC measures will not always ensure that fraudulent data are not generated. Conventional QA/QC measures are based on the assumption that work will be done in good faith; to assure against fraudulent practices, QA/QC measures must be tailored to specific analyses protocols in anticipation of intentional misapplication of those protocols. Application of specific QA/QC measures to ensure against fraudulent practices result in an increased administrative burden being placed on the analytical process; accordingly, in keepingmore » with graded QA philosophy, data quality objectives must be used to identify specific points of concern for special control to minimize the administrative impact.« less

A framework for institutionalizing quality assurance.

PubMed

Silimperi, Diana R; Franco, Lynne Miller; Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Tisna; MacAulay, Catherine

2002-12-01

To develop a framework to support the institutionalization of quality assurance (QA). The framework for institutionalizing QA consists of a model of eight essential elements and a 'roadmap' for the process of institutionalization. The essential elements are the building blocks required for implementing and sustaining QA activities. Core QA activities include defining, measuring and improving quality. The essential elements are grouped under three categories: the internal enabling environment (internal to the organization or system), organizing for quality, and support functions. The enabling environment contains the essential elements of leadership, policy, core values, and resources. Organizing for quality includes the structure for implementing QA. Three essential elements are primarily support functions: capacity building, communication and information, and rewarding quality. The model can be applied at the level of an organization or a system. The paper also describes the process of institutionalizing QA, starting from a state of preawareness, passing through four phases (awareness, experiential, expansion, and consolidation), and culminating in a state of maturity. The process is not linear; an organization may regress, vacillate between phases, or even remain stagnant. Some phases (e.g. awareness and experiential) may occur simultaneously. The framework has been introduced in nearly a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. The conceptual model has been used to support strategic planning and directing Ministry of Health work plans, and also as a resource for determining the elements necessary to strengthen and sustain QA. The next step will be the development and evaluation of an assessment tool to monitor developmental progress in the institutionalization of QA.

Quality assurance in European pharmacy education and training*

PubMed Central

Guimarāes Morais, Jose A.; Cavaco, Afonso M.; Rombaut, Bart; Rouse, Michael J.; Atkinson, Jeffrey

A survey of quality assurance (QA) systems in European faculties of pharmacy was carried out under the auspices of the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy PHARMINE consortium. A questionnaire based on the quality criteria of the International Pharmaceutical Federation and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (USA) was sent out to European faculties. Replies were obtained from 28 countries. Just above half has a working QA system. QA scores were high concerning matters such as complete curriculum and training, use of European Credit Transfer System, students’ representation and promotion of professional behavior. QA scores were low concerning matters such as evaluation of achievement of mission and goals, and financial resources. The PHARMINE consortium now has a basis upon which to elaborate and promote QA in European pharmacy faculties. PMID:24198856

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITIES. Project Summary

EPA Science Inventory

It is generally agreed that both quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are essential to the proper installation and eventual performance of environmentally safe and secure waste containment systems. Even further, there are both manufacturing and construction aspects to...

Quality control and quality assurance of hot mix asphalt construction in Delaware.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-07-01

Since the mid 60s the Federal Highway Administration began to encourage : Departments of Transportation and Contractors toward the use of quality control and : quality assurance (QA/QC) specifications, which are statistically based. : For example,...

HANDBOOK: QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL (QA/QC) PROCEDURES FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE INCINERATION

EPA Science Inventory

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations for hazardous waste incineration require trial burns by permit applicants. uality Assurance Project Plan (QAPjP) must accompany a trial burn plan with appropriate quality assurance/quality control procedures. uidance on the prepa...

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE EPA

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA GIS-QA Team was created to fill the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) communities. All EPA Offices and Regions were invited to participate. Currently, the EPA GIS-QA Team consists of members from the EPA Regional Offices...

Quality assurance program for isotopic power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannigan, R. L.; Harnar, R. R.

1982-12-01

The Sandia National Laboratories Quality Assurance Program that applies to non-weapon (reimbursable) Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators is summarized. The program was implemented over the past 16 years on power supplies used in various space and terrestrial systems. The quality assurance (QA) activity of the program is in support of the Department of Energy, Office of Space Nuclear Projects. Basic elements of the program are described and examples of program documentation are presented.

University Administrators' Conceptions of Quality and Approaches to Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goff, Lori

2017-01-01

As the quality of university education garners increasingly more interest in both the public and in the literature, and as quality assurance (QA) processes are developed and implemented within universities around the world, it is important to carefully consider what is meant by the term quality. This study attempts to add to the literature…

Quality Assurance of E-learning. ENQA Workshop Report 14

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grifoll, Josep; Huertas, Esther; Prades, Anna; Rodriguez, Sebastian; Rubin, Yuri; Mulder, Fred; Ossiannilsson, Ebba

2010-01-01

E-learning in the European Higher Education Area has stampeded its way to the foreground of the Quality Assurance (QA) forum, and has become a key issue among quality assurance agencies and institutions in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Because internet-based learning is currently such a relevant topic, there is a dire need for the…

Overall Quality Assurance Project Plan, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Fort Sheridan, Illinois, Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-03-15

billion volume ppm parts per million PT pole-mounted PTFE polytetrafluoro-ethylene PUF polyurethane foam PVC polyvinyl chloride QA quality assurance...and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) quality assurance (QA) objectives. The format of the OQAPP is based on "Interim Guidelines and...County. The till material deposited in the Fort Sheridan region has been classified as the Wadsworth Till Member of the Wedron Formation . This till

GEOSPATIAL IT/IM QA CHECKLIST

EPA Science Inventory

Quality assurance (QA) of information technology (IT) and Information Management (IM) systems help to ensure that the end product is of known quality and integrity. As the complexity of IT & IM processes increase, so does the need for regular QA evaluation.

The areas revi...

Project officer's perspective: quality assurance as a management tool.

PubMed

Heiby, J

1993-06-01

Advances in the management of health programs in less developed countries (LDC) have not kept pace with the progress of the technology used. The US Agency for International Development mandated the Quality Assurance Project (QAP) to provide quality improvement technical assistance to primary health care systems in LDCs while developing appropriate quality assurance (QA) strategies. The quality of health care in recent years in the US and Europe focused on the introduction of management techniques developed for industry into health systems. The experience of the QAP and its predecessor, the PRICOR Project, shows that quality improvement techniques facilitate measurement of quality of care. A recently developed WHO model for the management of the sick child provides scientifically based standards for actual care. Since 1988, outside investigators measuring how LDC clinicians perform have revealed serious deficiencies in quality compared with the program's own standards. This prompted developed of new QA management initiatives: 1) communicating standards clearly to the program staff; 2) actively monitoring actual performance corresponds to these standards; and 3) taking action to improve performance. QA means that managers are expected to monitor service delivery, undertake problem solving, and set specific targets for quality improvement. Quality improvement methods strengthen supervision as supervisors can objectively assess health worker performance. QA strengthens the management functions that support service delivery, e.g., training, records management, finance, logistics, and supervision. Attention to quality can contribute to improved health worker motivation and effective incentive programs by recognition for a job well done and opportunities for learning new skills. These standards can also address patient satisfaction. QA challenges managers to aim for the optimal level of care attainable.

EPA Guidance for Geospatially Related Quality Assurance Project Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This March 2003 document discusses EPA's Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan as a tool for project managers and planners to document the type and quality of data and information needed for making environmental decisions

LOVE CANAL MONITORING PROGRAM. GCA QA/QC (QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL) SUMMARY REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

One of the most important responsibilities of the Love Canal prime contractor was the institution and maintenance of a quality assurance program. An important objective of the quality assurance program was to alert the subcontractors to the importance of high quality work on thei...

Quality assurance in materials and construction

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-06-01

This review is a product of the FHWA 2006, National Review Program (NRP). Quality Assurance (QA) was selected for review in 2006 because the program was ranked as one of the top five areas of interest for review by FHWA. Over the last 10 years an ave...

Quality Assurance in Gerontological and Geriatric Training Programs: The European Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Politynska, Barbara; van Rijsselt, Rene J. T.; Lewko, Jolanta; Philp, Ian; Figueiredo, Daniella; De Sousa, Lilliana

2012-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) in gerontological and geriatric education programs is regarded as essential to maintain standards, strengthen accountability, improve readability of qualifications, and facilitate professional mobility. In this article the authors present a summary of international developments in QA and elaborate four international trends,…

Quality Assurance for Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Ibbott, Geoffrey S.; Haworth, Annette; Followill, David S.

2013-01-01

Cooperative groups, of which the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group is one example, conduct national clinical trials that often involve the use of radiation therapy. In preparation for such a trial, the cooperative group prepares a protocol to define the goals of the trial, the rationale for its design, and the details of the treatment procedure to be followed. The Radiological Physics Center (RPC) is one of several quality assurance (QA) offices that is charged with assuring that participating institutions deliver doses that are clinically consistent and comparable. The RPC does this by conducting a variety of independent audits and credentialing processes. The RPC has compiled data showing that credentialing can help institutions comply with the requirements of a cooperative group clinical protocol. Phantom irradiations have been demonstrated to exercise an institution’s procedures for planning and delivering advanced external beam techniques (1–3). Similarly, RPC data indicate that a rapid review of patient treatment records or planning procedures can improve compliance with clinical trials (4). The experiences of the RPC are presented as examples of the contributions that a national clinical trials QA center can make to cooperative group trials. These experiences illustrate the critical need for comprehensive QA to assure that clinical trials are successful and cost-effective. The RPC is supported by grants CA 10953 and CA 81647 from the National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS. PMID:24392352

In pursuit of quality by viable quality assurance system: the controllers' perceptions.

PubMed

Aziz, Anwar

2011-01-01

Patients, families and communities expect safe, competent and compassionate nursing care that has always been a core value of nursing. To meet these expectations, a valid and reliable quality assurance (QA) system is crucial to ensure that nurse-graduates are competent, confident and fit to practice. The QA approach is seen to be fundamental for quality improvement, it would be appropriate to consider its influence in the nursing education in Pakistan as the current situation is evident of non-existence of such a system to assure its quality. The data is drawn from a qualitative case study conducted in 2004. Among a purposive sample of 71 nurses inclusive of a group of Controllers were interviewed on one-to-one basis. Interviews were audio taped to reduce the risk of any misinterpretation and to facilitate the exact description of data as it was said. The non-directive, semi-structured and open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts of the interviews was done. The study findings reveal a unanimous desire of the nurses to gauge quality of nurse education through efficient and effective quality assurance system. A crucial need is felt to develop a viable quality assurance system to ensure approved level of quality in nursing education to deliver the right care to the right patient at the right time, every time. The continuous quality assurance and improvement (CQAI) framework based on Deming Quality Cycle (Plan, Do, Check and Act) could facilitate appropriate designing and development of mechanism.

A rapid communication from the AAPM Task Group 201: recommendations for the QA of external beam radiotherapy data transfer. AAPM TG 201: quality assurance of external beam radiotherapy data transfer.

PubMed

Siochi, R Alfredo; Balter, Peter; Bloch, Charles D; Santanam, Lakshmi; Blodgett, Kurt; Curran, Bruce H; Engelsman, Martijn; Feng, Wenzheng; Mechalakos, Jim; Pavord, Dan; Simon, Tom; Sutlieff, Steven; Zhu, X Ronald

2010-12-04

The transfer of radiation therapy data among the various subsystems required for external beam treatments is subject to error. Hence, the establishment and management of a data transfer quality assurance program is strongly recommended. It should cover the QA of data transfers of patient specific treatments, imaging data, manually handled data and historical treatment records. QA of the database state (logical consistency and information integrity) is also addressed to ensure that accurate data are transferred.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practices for Rehabilitation of Sewer and Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, several areas of research are being pursued, including a review of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) practices and acceptance testing during the installation of reha...

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practices For Rehabilitation of Sewer and Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, several areas of research are being pursued including a review of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) practices and acceptance testing during the installation of rehab...

MO-A-16A-01: QA Procedures and Metrics: In Search of QA Usability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sathiaseelan, V; Thomadsen, B

Radiation therapy has undergone considerable changes in the past two decades with a surge of new technology and treatment delivery methods. The complexity of radiation therapy treatments has increased and there has been increased awareness and publicity about the associated risks. In response, there has been proliferation of guidelines for medical physicists to adopt to ensure that treatments are delivered safely. Task Group recommendations are copious, and clinical physicists' hours are longer, stretched to various degrees between site planning and management, IT support, physics QA, and treatment planning responsibilities.Radiation oncology has many quality control practices in place to ensure themore » delivery of high-quality, safe treatments. Incident reporting systems have been developed to collect statistics about near miss events at many radiation oncology centers. However, tools are lacking to assess the impact of these various control measures. A recent effort to address this shortcoming is the work of Ford et al (2012) who recently published a methodology enumerating quality control quantification for measuring the effectiveness of safety barriers. Over 4000 near-miss incidents reported from 2 academic radiation oncology clinics were analyzed using quality control quantification, and a profile of the most effective quality control measures (metrics) was identified.There is a critical need to identify a QA metric to help the busy clinical physicists to focus their limited time and resources most effectively in order to minimize or eliminate errors in the radiation treatment delivery processes. In this symposium the usefulness of workflows and QA metrics to assure safe and high quality patient care will be explored.Two presentations will be given:Quality Metrics and Risk Management with High Risk Radiation Oncology ProceduresStrategies and metrics for quality management in the TG-100 Era Learning Objectives: Provide an overview and the need for QA

Developing cross-sectoral quality assurance for cataract surgery in the statutory quality assurance program of the German health care system: Experiences and lessons learned.

PubMed

Bramesfeld, Anke; Pauletzki, Jürgen; Behrenz, Lars; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Willms, Gerald; Broge, Björn

2015-08-01

Since 2001, statutory external quality assurance (QA) for hospital care has been in place in the German health system. In 2009, the decision was taken to expand it to cross-sectoral procedures. This novel and unprecedented form of national QA aims at (1) making the quality procedures comparable that are provided both in inpatient and outpatient care, (2) following-up outcomes of hospital care after patients' discharge and (3) measuring the quality of complex treatment chains across interfaces. As a pioneer procedure a QA procedure in cataract surgery QA was developed. Using this as an example, challenges of cross-sectoral QA are highlighted. These challenges relate, in particular, to three technical problems: triggering cases for documentation, following-up patients' after hospital discharge, and the burden of documentation in outpatient care. These problems resulted finally in the haltering of the development of the QA procedure. However, the experiences gained with this first development of cross-sectoral QA inspired the reorientation and further development of the field in Germany. Future cross-sectoral QA will rigorously aim at keeping burden of documentation small. It will draw data for QA mainly at three sources: routine data, patient surveys and peer reviews using indicators. Policy implications of this reorientation are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

LABORATORY AND FIELD AUDITS AS PART OF THE EPA (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) HAZARDOUS WASTE ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY (HWERL) QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Audits are an important and integral part of the EPA Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory (HWERL) Quality Assurance (QA) Program. As part of the overall QA program, audits are used to determine contractor compliance with quality assurance plans and to assess the overal...

Quality Assurance: Patient Chart Reviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oginni, B. M.; Odero, D. O.

2009-07-01

Recent developments in radiation therapy have immensely impacted the way the radiation dose is delivered to patients undergoing radiation treatments. However, the fundamental quality assurance (QA) issues underlying the radiation therapy still remain the accuracy of the radiation dose and the radiation safety. One of the major duties of clinical medical physicists in the radiation therapy departments still revolves around ensuring the accuracy of dose delivery to the planning target volume (PTV), the reduction of unintended radiation to normal organs and minimization of the radiation exposure to the medical personnel based on ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle. Many of the errors in radiation therapy can be minimized through a comprehensive program of periodic checks. One of the QA procedures on the patient comes in the form of chart reviews which could be in either electronic or paper-based format. We present the quality assurance procedures that have to be performed on the patient records from the beginning and periodically to the end of the treatment, based on the guidelines from the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and American College of Physicians (ACP).

QAIT: a quality assurance issue tracking tool to facilitate the improvement of clinical data quality.

PubMed

Zhang, Yonghong; Sun, Weihong; Gutchell, Emily M; Kvecher, Leonid; Kohr, Joni; Bekhash, Anthony; Shriver, Craig D; Liebman, Michael N; Mural, Richard J; Hu, Hai

2013-01-01

In clinical and translational research as well as clinical trial projects, clinical data collection is prone to errors such as missing data, and misinterpretation or inconsistency of the data. A good quality assurance (QA) program can resolve many such errors though this requires efficient communications between the QA staff and data collectors. Managing such communications is critical to resolving QA problems but imposes a major challenge for a project involving multiple clinical and data processing sites. We have developed a QA issue tracking (QAIT) system to support clinical data QA in the Clinical Breast Care Project (CBCP). This web-based application provides centralized management of QA issues with role-based access privileges. It has greatly facilitated the QA process and enhanced the overall quality of the CBCP clinical data. As a stand-alone system, QAIT can supplement any other clinical data management systems and can be adapted to support other projects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive and efficient daily quality assurance for PBS proton therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Actis, O.; Meer, D.; König, S.; Weber, D. C.; Mayor, A.

2017-03-01

There are several general recommendations for quality assurance (QA) measures, which have to be performed at proton therapy centres. However, almost each centre uses a different therapy system. In particular, there is no standard procedure for centres employing pencil beam scanning and each centre applies a specific QA program. Gantry 2 is an operating therapy system which was developed at PSI and relies on the most advanced technological innovations. We developed a comprehensive daily QA program in order to verify the main beam characteristics to assure the functionality of the therapy delivery system and the patient safety system. The daily QA program entails new hardware and software solutions for a highly efficient clinical operation. In this paper, we describe a dosimetric phantom used for verifying the most critical beam parameters and the software architecture developed for a fully automated QA procedure. The connection between our QA software and the database allows us to store the data collected on a daily basis and use it for trend analysis over longer periods of time. All the data presented here have been collected during a time span of over two years, since the beginning of the Gantry 2 clinical operation in 2013. Our procedure operates in a stable way and delivers the expected beam quality. The daily QA program takes only 20 min. At the same time, the comprehensive approach allows us to avoid most of the weekly and monthly QA checks and increases the clinical beam availability.

SU-F-T-251: The Quality Assurance for the Heavy Patient Load Department in the Developing Country: The Primary Experience of An Entire Workflow QA Process Management in Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, J; Wang, J; Peng, J

Purpose: To implement an entire workflow quality assurance (QA) process in the radiotherapy department and to reduce the error rates of radiotherapy based on the entire workflow management in the developing country. Methods: The entire workflow QA process management starts from patient registration to the end of last treatment including all steps through the entire radiotherapy process. Error rate of chartcheck is used to evaluate the the entire workflow QA process. Two to three qualified senior medical physicists checked the documents before the first treatment fraction of every patient. Random check of the treatment history during treatment was also performed.more » A total of around 6000 patients treatment data before and after implementing the entire workflow QA process were compared from May, 2014 to December, 2015. Results: A systemic checklist was established. It mainly includes patient’s registration, treatment plan QA, information exporting to OIS(Oncology Information System), documents of treatment QAand QA of the treatment history. The error rate derived from the chart check decreases from 1.7% to 0.9% after our the entire workflow QA process. All checked errors before the first treatment fraction were corrected as soon as oncologist re-confirmed them and reinforce staff training was accordingly followed to prevent those errors. Conclusion: The entire workflow QA process improved the safety, quality of radiotherapy in our department and we consider that our QA experience can be applicable for the heavily-loaded radiotherapy departments in developing country.« less

A Functional Model of Quality Assurance for Psychiatric Hospitals and Corresponding Staffing Requirements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamis-Gould, Edna; And Others

1991-01-01

A model for quality assurance (QA) in psychiatric hospitals is described. Its functions (general QA, utilization review, clinical records, evaluation, management information systems, risk management, and infection control), subfunctions, and corresponding staffing requirements are reviewed. This model was designed to foster standardization in QA…

Comprehensive quality assurance phantom for the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP)

PubMed Central

Jermoumi, M.; Korideck, H.; Bhagwat, M.; Zygmanski, P.; Makrigiogos, G.M.; Berbeco, R.I.; Cormack, R.C.; Ngwa, W.

2016-01-01

Purpose To develop and test the suitability and performance of a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) phantom for the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP). Methods and materials A QA phantom was developed for carrying out daily, monthly and annual QA tasks including: imaging, dosimetry and treatment planning system (TPS) performance evaluation of the SARRP. The QA phantom consists of 15 (60 × 60 × 5 mm3) kV-energy tissue equivalent solid water slabs. The phantom can incorporate optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLD), Mosfet or film. One slab, with inserts and another slab with hole patterns are particularly designed for image QA. Results Output constancy measurement results showed daily variations within 3%. Using the Mosfet in phantom as target, results showed that the difference between TPS calculations and measurements was within 5%. Annual QA results for the Percentage depth dose (PDD) curves, lateral beam profiles, beam flatness and beam profile symmetry were found consistent with results obtained at commissioning. PDD curves obtained using film and OSLDs showed good agreement. Image QA was performed monthly, with image-quality parameters assessed in terms of CBCT image geometric accuracy, CT number accuracy, image spatial resolution, noise and image uniformity. Conclusions The results show that the developed QA phantom can be employed as a tool for comprehensive performance evaluation of the SARRP. The study provides a useful reference for development of a comprehensive quality assurance program for the SARRP and other similar small animal irradiators, with proposed tolerances and frequency of required tests. PMID:25964129

Comprehensive quality assurance phantom for the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP).

PubMed

Jermoumi, M; Korideck, H; Bhagwat, M; Zygmanski, P; Makrigiogos, G M; Berbeco, R I; Cormack, R C; Ngwa, W

2015-07-01

To develop and test the suitability and performance of a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) phantom for the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP). A QA phantom was developed for carrying out daily, monthly and annual QA tasks including: imaging, dosimetry and treatment planning system (TPS) performance evaluation of the SARRP. The QA phantom consists of 15 (60 × 60 × 5 mm(3)) kV-energy tissue equivalent solid water slabs. The phantom can incorporate optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLD), Mosfet or film. One slab, with inserts and another slab with hole patterns are particularly designed for image QA. Output constancy measurement results showed daily variations within 3%. Using the Mosfet in phantom as target, results showed that the difference between TPS calculations and measurements was within 5%. Annual QA results for the Percentage depth dose (PDD) curves, lateral beam profiles, beam flatness and beam profile symmetry were found consistent with results obtained at commissioning. PDD curves obtained using film and OSLDs showed good agreement. Image QA was performed monthly, with image-quality parameters assessed in terms of CBCT image geometric accuracy, CT number accuracy, image spatial resolution, noise and image uniformity. The results show that the developed QA phantom can be employed as a tool for comprehensive performance evaluation of the SARRP. The study provides a useful reference for development of a comprehensive quality assurance program for the SARRP and other similar small animal irradiators, with proposed tolerances and frequency of required tests. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-Learning Quality Assurance: A Process-Oriented Lifecycle Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdous, M'hammed

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a process-oriented lifecycle model for ensuring quality in e-learning development and delivery. As a dynamic and iterative process, quality assurance (QA) is intertwined with the e-learning development process. Design/methodology/approach: After reviewing the existing literature, particularly…

The NCI Thesaurus quality assurance life cycle.

PubMed

de Coronado, Sherri; Wright, Lawrence W; Fragoso, Gilberto; Haber, Margaret W; Hahn-Dantona, Elizabeth A; Hartel, Francis W; Quan, Sharon L; Safran, Tracy; Thomas, Nicole; Whiteman, Lori

2009-06-01

The National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services (NCI EVS) uses a wide range of quality assurance (QA) techniques to maintain and extend NCI Thesaurus (NCIt). NCIt is a reference terminology and biomedical ontology used in a growing number of NCI and other systems that extend from translational and basic research through clinical care to public information and administrative activities. Both automated and manual QA techniques are employed throughout the editing and publication cycle, which includes inserting and editing NCIt in NCI Metathesaurus. NCI EVS conducts its own additional periodic and ongoing content QA. External reviews, and extensive evaluation by and interaction with EVS partners and other users, have also played an important part in the QA process. There have always been tensions and compromises between meeting the needs of dependent systems and providing consistent and well-structured content; external QA and feedback have been important in identifying and addressing such issues. Currently, NCI EVS is exploring new approaches to broaden external participation in the terminology development and QA process.

Quality control and assurance for validation of DOS/I measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerussi, Albert; Durkin, Amanda; Kwong, Richard; Quang, Timothy; Hill, Brian; Tromberg, Bruce J.; MacKinnon, Nick; Mantulin, William W.

2010-02-01

Ongoing multi-center clinical trials are crucial for Biophotonics to gain acceptance in medical imaging. In these trials, quality control (QC) and assurance (QA) are key to success and provide "data insurance". Quality control and assurance deal with standardization, validation, and compliance of procedures, materials and instrumentation. Specifically, QC/QA involves systematic assessment of testing materials, instrumentation performance, standard operating procedures, data logging, analysis, and reporting. QC and QA are important for FDA accreditation and acceptance by the clinical community. Our Biophotonics research in the Network for Translational Research in Optical Imaging (NTROI) program for breast cancer characterization focuses on QA/QC issues primarily related to the broadband Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging (DOS/I) instrumentation, because this is an emerging technology with limited standardized QC/QA in place. In the multi-center trial environment, we implement QA/QC procedures: 1. Standardize and validate calibration standards and procedures. (DOS/I technology requires both frequency domain and spectral calibration procedures using tissue simulating phantoms and reflectance standards, respectively.) 2. Standardize and validate data acquisition, processing and visualization (optimize instrument software-EZDOS; centralize data processing) 3. Monitor, catalog and maintain instrument performance (document performance; modularize maintenance; integrate new technology) 4. Standardize and coordinate trial data entry (from individual sites) into centralized database 5. Monitor, audit and communicate all research procedures (database, teleconferences, training sessions) between participants ensuring "calibration". This manuscript describes our ongoing efforts, successes and challenges implementing these strategies.

Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education: India vis-à-vis European Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dey, Niradhar

2011-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) and accreditation in higher education include the systematic management and assessment of procedures to monitor performance and to address areas of improvement. In the context of globalization, without assuring the quality of higher education programmes it is not possible to ensure credit transfer and student mobility, to…

QUALITY ASSURANCE: THE THREAD THAT WEAVES TOGETHER THE FABRIC OF DIVERSE DISCIPLINES

EPA Science Inventory

Mature Quality Assurance (QA) programs do not call for high quality! However, they most often demand known quality. We can intuitively sense quality in our daily lives.

Protection of the environment is, in part, dependent on the quality of data used in decision making. Wh...

Electronic laboratory quality assurance program: A method of enhancing the prosthodontic curriculum and addressing accreditation standards.

PubMed

Moghadam, Marjan; Jahangiri, Leila

2015-08-01

An electronic quality assurance (eQA) program was developed to replace a paper-based system and to address standards introduced by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and to improve educational outcomes. This eQA program provides feedback to predoctoral dental students on prosthodontic laboratory steps at New York University College of Dentistry. The purpose of this study was to compare the eQA program of performing laboratory quality assurance with the former paper-based format. Fourth-year predoctoral dental students (n=334) who experienced both the paper-based and the electronic version of the quality assurance program were surveyed about their experiences. Additionally, data extracted from the eQA program were analyzed to identify areas of weakness in the curriculum. The study findings revealed that 73.8% of the students preferred the eQA program to the paper-based version. The average number of treatments that did not pass quality assurance standards was 119.5 per month. This indicated a 6.34% laboratory failure rate. Further analysis of these data revealed that 62.1% of the errors were related to fixed prosthodontic treatment, 27.9% to partial removable dental prostheses, and 10% to complete removable dental prostheses in the first 18 months of program implementation. The eQA program was favored by dental students who have experienced both electronic and paper-based versions of the system. Error type analysis can yield the ability to create customized faculty standardization sessions and refine the didactic and clinical teaching of the predoctoral students. This program was also able to link patient care activity with the student's laboratory activities, thus addressing the latest requirements of the CODA regarding the competence of graduates in evaluating laboratory work related to their patient care. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Walking the Line: Quality Assurance Policy Development and Implementation in Vi?t Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Meggan

2014-01-01

Although Vi?t Nam's experiences with quality assurance (QA) policy development have been influenced by its relationships with, and funding from, the World Bank and regional organizations, the state-centric values of the Socialist Republic of Vi?t Nam still navigate the implementation process. The development of QA in Vietnamese higher education…

Template for updating regulations in QA manuals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, M.G.; Banerjee, B.

1992-01-01

Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued new quality assurance (QA) orders to reflect current policies for conduct and operation of DOE-authorized programs and facilities. Establishing traceability to new QA criteria and requirements from former multidraft orders, QA manuals, and guidance documentation for DOE-funded work can be confusing. Identified critical considerations still must be addressed. Most of the newly stated QA criteria can be cross referenced, where applicable, to former QA plans and manuals. Where additional criteria occur, new procedures may be required, together with revisions in QA plans and manuals.

Statistical process control analysis for patient quality assurance of intensity modulated radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Rena; Kim, Kyubo; Cho, Samju; Lim, Sangwook; Lee, Suk; Shim, Jang Bo; Huh, Hyun Do; Lee, Sang Hoon; Ahn, Sohyun

2017-11-01

This study applied statistical process control to set and verify the quality assurances (QA) tolerance standard for our hospital's characteristics with the criteria standards that are applied to all the treatment sites with this analysis. Gamma test factor of delivery quality assurances (DQA) was based on 3%/3 mm. Head and neck, breast, prostate cases of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric arc radiation therapy (VMAT) were selected for the analysis of the QA treatment sites. The numbers of data used in the analysis were 73 and 68 for head and neck patients. Prostate and breast were 49 and 152 by MapCHECK and ArcCHECK respectively. C p value of head and neck and prostate QA were above 1.0, C pml is 1.53 and 1.71 respectively, which is close to the target value of 100%. C pml value of breast (IMRT) was 1.67, data values are close to the target value of 95%. But value of was 0.90, which means that the data values are widely distributed. C p and C pml of breast VMAT QA were respectively 1.07 and 2.10. This suggests that the VMAT QA has better process capability than the IMRT QA. Consequently, we should pay more attention to planning and QA before treatment for breast Radiotherapy.

Quality Assurance in Post-Secondary Education: The Student Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Dennis Chung Sea

2010-01-01

Purpose: A major focus of the recent research into the quality of post-secondary education is the centrality of the student experience. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on studies addressing such a focus to shed light on how quality assurance (QA) practices can be improved. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reviews some…

QA program plan plutonium stabilization and handling project W-460

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SCHULTZ, J.W.

This Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) identifies Project Quality Assurance (QA) program requirements for all parties participating in the design, procurement, demolition, construction, installation, inspection and testing for Project W-460.

Perspectives on Quality and Quality Assurance in Learner Support Areas at Three Southeast Asian Open Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darojat, Ojat; Nilson, Michelle; Kaufman, David

2015-01-01

While quality measures in higher education in general have gained significant and growing attention over the past 30 years, questions remain about quality in open universities. This research was an international comparative case study focusing on perceptions of quality and quality assurance (QA) in learner support areas at open universities. The…

Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 2: Quality assurance criteria for photovoltaic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, John C.; Billitti, Joseph W.; Tallon, John M.

1979-01-01

Quality assurance criteria are described for manufacturers and installers of solar photovoltaic tests and applications. Quality oriented activities are outlined to be pursued by the contractor/subcontractor to assure the physical and operational quality of equipment produced is included. In the broad sense, guidelines are provided for establishing a QA organization if none exists. Mainly, criteria is provided to be considered in any PV quality assurance plan selected as appropriate by the responsible Field Center. A framework is established for a systematic approach to ensure that photovoltaic tests and applications are constructed in a timely and cost effective manner.

Assuring Quality in E-Learning Course Design: The Roadmap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios

2016-01-01

Quality Assurance (QA) concepts and applications in Higher Education (HE) emerge from evolving meanings related to HE's dynamic relationship with social, economic, cultural, and technological developments. The latter has been redefined by the growth spurred by the forms distance and online education acquired during the last decades. Creating a…

Quality assurance grading guidelines for research and development at DOE facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Powell, T.B.; Morris, R.N.

1993-01-01

The quality assurance (QA) requirements for the US Department of Energy (DOE) are established in DOE Order 5700.6C. This order is applicable for all DOE departmental elements, management, and maintenance and operating contractors and requires that documented Quality Assurance Programs (QAPs) are prepared at all levels; it has one attachment. The DOE Office of Energy Research (DOE-ER) has issued a standard to ensure implementation of the full intent of this order in the ER community.

Innovative Quality-Assurance Strategies for Tuberculosis Surveillance in the United States

PubMed Central

Manangan, Lilia Ponce; Tryon, Cheryl; Magee, Elvin; Miramontes, Roque

2012-01-01

Introduction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Tuberculosis Surveillance System (NTSS) is the national repository of tuberculosis (TB) data in the United States. Jurisdictions report to NTSS through the Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT) form that transitioned to a web-based system in 2009. Materials and Methods. To improve RVCT data quality, CDC conducted a quality assurance (QA) needs assessment to develop QA strategies. These include QA components (case detection, data accuracy, completeness, timeliness, data security, and confidentiality); sample tools such as National TB Indicators Project (NTIP) to identify TB case reporting discrepancies; comprehensive training course; resource guide and toolkit. Results and Discussion. During July–September 2011, 73 staff from 34 (57%) of 60 reporting jurisdictions participated in QA training. Participants stated usefulness of sharing jurisdictions' QA methods; 66 (93%) wrote that the QA tools will be effective for their activities. Several jurisdictions reported implementation of QA tools pertinent to their programs. Data showed >8% increase in NTSS and NTIP enrollment through Secure Access Management Services, which monitors system usage, from August 2011–February 2012. Conclusions. Despite challenges imposed by web-based surveillance systems, QA strategies can be developed with innovation and collaboration. These strategies can also be used by other disease programs to ensure high data quality. PMID:22685648

Comprehensive quality assurance phantom for cardiovascular imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Pei-Jan P.

1998-07-01

With the advent of high heat loading capacity x-ray tubes, high frequency inverter type generators, and the use of spectral shaping filters, the automatic brightness/exposure control (ABC) circuit logic employed in the new generation of angiographic imaging equipment has been significantly reprogrammed. These new angiographic imaging systems are designed to take advantage of the power train capabilities to yield higher contrast images while maintaining, or lower, the patient exposure. Since the emphasis of the imaging system design has been significantly altered, the system performance parameters one is interested and the phantoms employed for the quality assurance must also change in order to properly evaluate the imaging capability of the cardiovascular imaging systems. A quality assurance (QA) phantom has been under development in this institution and was submitted to various interested organizations such as American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions (SCA&I), and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) for their review and input. At the same time, in an effort to establish a unified standard phantom design for the cardiac catheterization laboratories (CCL), SCA&I and NEMA have formed a joint work group in early 1997 to develop a suitable phantom. The initial QA phantom design has since been accepted to serve as the base phantom by the SCA&I- NEMA Joint Work Group (JWG) from which a comprehensive QA Phantom is being developed.

Quality assurance of radiotherapy in cancer treatment: toward improvement of patient safety and quality of care.

PubMed

Ishikura, Satoshi

2008-11-01

The process of radiotherapy (RT) is complex and involves understanding of the principles of medical physics, radiobiology, radiation safety, dosimetry, radiation treatment planning, simulation and interaction of radiation with other treatment modalities. Each step in the integrated process of RT needs quality control and quality assurance (QA) to prevent errors and to give high confidence that patients will receive the prescribed treatment correctly. Recent advances in RT, including intensity-modulated and image-guided RT, focus on the need for a systematic RTQA program that balances patient safety and quality with available resources. It is necessary to develop more formal error mitigation and process analysis methods, such as failure mode and effect analysis, to focus available QA resources optimally on process components. External audit programs are also effective. The International Atomic Energy Agency has operated both an on-site and off-site postal dosimetry audit to improve practice and to assure the dose from RT equipment. Several countries have adopted a similar approach for national clinical auditing. In addition, clinical trial QA has a significant role in enhancing the quality of care. The Advanced Technology Consortium has pioneered the development of an infrastructure and QA method for advanced technology clinical trials, including credentialing and individual case review. These activities have an impact not only on the treatment received by patients enrolled in clinical trials, but also on the quality of treatment administered to all patients treated in each institution, and have been adopted globally; by the USA, Europe and Japan also.

INTERIM EPA GUIDANCE FOR GEOSPATIAL-RELATED QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

This guidance supplements EPA Guidance for Quality,Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/G-5), in that the focus here is on collection and use of geospatial rather than other environmental data (e.g., strictly chemical or biological data), including unique aspects of data storage, retr...

Defense Contract Management Agency Santa Ana Quality Assurance Oversight Needs lmprovement

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-19

Management Agency Santa Ana Quality Assurance Oversight Needs Improvement What We Did We determined whether the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA...for critical safety items (CSIs). For this audit, we reviewed QA oversight of four contracts valued at about $278 million. What We Found The DCMA...limited assurance that 18,507 critical safety items, consisting of T-11 parachutes, oxygen masks, drone parachutes, and breathing apparatuses met

Inferring random component distributions from environmental measurements for quality assurance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Environmental measurement programs can add value by providing not just accurate data, but also a measure of that accuracy. While quality assurance (QA) has been recognized as necessary since almost the beginning of automated weather measurement, it has received less attention than the data proper. M...

A conceptual study of automatic and semi-automatic quality assurance techniques for round image processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a study conducted by Engineering and Economics Research (EER), Inc. under NASA Contract Number NAS5-27513. The study involved the development of preliminary concepts for automatic and semiautomatic quality assurance (QA) techniques for ground image processing. A distinction is made between quality assessment and the more comprehensive quality assurance which includes decision making and system feedback control in response to quality assessment.

A novel quality assurance method in a university teaching paediatric radiology department.

PubMed

Gallet, J M; Reed, M H; Hlady, J

2000-08-01

Primary diagnostic equipment in a paediatric radiology department must perform at optimal levels at all times. The Children's Hospital Radiology Department in Winnipeg, Canada, has developed an impartial means of reporting radiographic image quality. The main objectives of this study programme were two-fold. First, to monitor diagnostic X-ray equipment performance, and second, to improve the resultant image quality as a means of implementing the fundamental concepts of continuous quality improvement. Reading radiologists completed a quality assurance (QA) card when they identified a radiographic image quality problem. The cards were subsequently collected by the clinical instructor who then informed, in confidence, the radiographers of the written comments or concerns. QA cards have been conspicuously installed in the paediatric radiology reading room since the middle of 1993. Since its inception, equipment malfunction has been monitored and indicators for improving image quality developed. This component of the QA programme has shown itself to be a successful means of communicating with radiographers in maintaining superior image quality.

A survey on auditing, quality assurance systems and legal frameworks in five selected slaughterhouses in Bulawayo, south-western Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Masanganise, Kaurai E; Matope, Gift; Pfukenyi, Davies M

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the audits, quality assurance (QA) programmes and legal frameworks used in selected abattoirs in Zimbabwe and slaughterhouse workers' perceptions on their effectiveness. Data on slaughterhouse workers was gathered through a self-completed questionnaire and additional information was obtained from slaughterhouse and government records. External auditing was conducted mainly by the Department of Veterinary Public Health with little contribution from third parties. Internal auditing was restricted to export abattoirs. The checklist used on auditing lacked objective assessment criteria and respondents cited several faults in the current audit system. Most respondents (> 50.0%) knew the purposes and benefits of audit and QA inspections. All export abattoirs had QA programmes such as hazard analysis critical control point and ISO 9001 (a standard used to certify businesses' quality management systems) but their implementation varied from minimal to nil. The main regulatory defect observed was lack of requirements for a QA programme. Audit and quality assurance communications to the selected abattoirs revealed a variety of non-compliances with most respondents revealing that corrective actions to audit (84.3%) and quality assurance (92.3%) shortfalls were not done. A high percentage of respondents indicated that training on quality (76.8%) and regulations (69.8%) was critical. Thus, it is imperative that these abattoirs develop a food safety management system comprising of QA programmes, a microbial assessment scheme, regulatory compliance, standard operating procedures, internal and external auditing and training of workers.

Implications of the South African Constitution on Quality Assurance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mammen, K. John

2006-01-01

The article addresses the concept of quality assurance (QA) and its relation to quality in higher education which itself is a component of total quality management. It then examines the regulatory policies for higher education followed by the meaning of the concept of democracy in the South African Constitution and its impact and implications on…

Quality Assurance in Stem Cell Banking: Emphasis on Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Banking.

PubMed

Kallur, Therése; Blomberg, Pontus; Stenfelt, Sonya; Tryggvason, Kristian; Hovatta, Outi

2017-01-01

For quality assurance (QA) in stem cell banking, a planned system is needed to ensure that the banked products, stem cells, meet the standards required for research, clinical use, and commercial biotechnological applications. QA is process oriented, avoids, or minimizes unacceptable product defects, and particularly encompasses the management and operational systems of the bank, as well as the ethical and legal frameworks. Quality control (QC ) is product oriented and therefore ensures the stem cells of a bank are what they are expected to be. Testing is for controlling, not assuring, product quality, and is therefore a part of QC , not QA. Like QA, QC is essential for banking cells for quality research and translational application (Schwartz et al., Lancet 379:713-720, 2012). Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), as cells derived from donated supernumerary embryos from in vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy, are different from other stem cell types in resulting from an embryo that has had two donors . This imposes important ethical and legal constraints on the utility of the cells, which, together with quite specific culture conditions, require special attention in the QA system. Importantly, although the origin and derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs ) differ from that of hESCs, many of the principles of QA for hESC banking are applicable to iPSC banking (Stacey et al., Cell Stem Cell 13:385-388, 2013). Furthermore, despite differences between the legal and regulatory frameworks for hESC and iPSC banking between different countries, the requirements for QA are being harmonized (Stacey et al., Cell Stem Cell 13:385-388, 2013; International Stem Cell Banking Initiative, Stem Cell Rev 5:301-314, 2009).

Quality assurance and quality control in mammography: a review of available guidance worldwide.

PubMed

Reis, Cláudia; Pascoal, Ana; Sakellaris, Taxiarchis; Koutalonis, Manthos

2013-10-01

Review available guidance for quality assurance (QA) in mammography and discuss its contribution to harmonise practices worldwide. Literature search was performed on different sources to identify guidance documents for QA in mammography available worldwide in international bodies, healthcare providers, professional/scientific associations. The guidance documents identified were reviewed and a selection was compared for type of guidance (clinical/technical), technology and proposed QA methodologies focusing on dose and image quality (IQ) performance assessment. Fourteen protocols (targeted at conventional and digital mammography) were reviewed. All included recommendations for testing acquisition, processing and display systems associated with mammographic equipment. All guidance reviewed highlighted the importance of dose assessment and testing the Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) system. Recommended tests for assessment of IQ showed variations in the proposed methodologies. Recommended testing focused on assessment of low-contrast detection, spatial resolution and noise. QC of image display is recommended following the American Association of Physicists in Medicine guidelines. The existing QA guidance for mammography is derived from key documents (American College of Radiology and European Union guidelines) and proposes similar tests despite the variations in detail and methodologies. Studies reported on QA data should provide detail on experimental technique to allow robust data comparison. Countries aiming to implement a mammography/QA program may select/prioritise the tests depending on available technology and resources. •An effective QA program should be practical to implement in a clinical setting. •QA should address the various stages of the imaging chain: acquisition, processing and display. •AEC system QC testing is simple to implement and provides information on equipment performance.

A practical implementation of physics quality assurance for photon adaptive radiotherapy.

PubMed

Cai, Bin; Green, Olga L; Kashani, Rojano; Rodriguez, Vivian L; Mutic, Sasa; Yang, Deshan

2018-03-14

The fast evolution of technology in radiotherapy (RT) enabled the realization of adaptive radiotherapy (ART). However, the new characteristics of ART pose unique challenges for efficiencies and effectiveness of quality assurance (QA) strategies. In this paper, we discuss the necessary QAs for ART and introduce a practical implementation. A previously published work on failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) of ART is introduced first to explain the risks associated with ART sub-processes. After a brief discussion of QA challenges, we review the existing QA strategies and tools that might be suitable for each ART step. By introducing the MR-guided online ART QA processes developed at our institute, we demonstrate a practical implementation. The limitations and future works to develop more robust and efficient QA strategies are discussed at the end. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Quality Assurance and Gender Discrimination in English Universities: An Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jayne

2008-01-01

The present paper argues that university quality assurance (QA) promotes a masculinist culture leading to systemic discrimination against female academics. The analysis relates to the question of what it is about academic life that results in persistent gender inequality. Based on an ethnographically informed comparative study, textual/discourse…

Technical aspects of quality assurance in radiation oncology

PubMed Central

Saw, CB; Ferenci, MS; Wanger, H

2008-01-01

The technical aspects of quality assurance (QA) in radiation oncology as practice in the United States will be reviewed and updated in the spirit of offering the experience to the radiation oncology communities in the Asia-Pacific region. The word “technical” is used to express the organisational components or processes and not the materials within the QA program. A comprehensive QA program in radiation oncology will have an official statement declaring the quality plan for effective patient care services it provides in a document. The QA program will include all aspects of patient care: physical, clinical, and medical aspects of the services. The document will describe the organisational structure, responsibilities, checks and procedures, and resources allocated to ensure the successful implementation of the quality of patient management. Regulatory guidelines and guidelines from accreditation agencies should be incorporated in the QA program to ensure compliance. The organisational structure will have a multidisciplinary QA committee that has the authority to evaluate continuously the effectiveness of the QA program to provide prompt corrective recommendations and to request feedback as needed to monitor the response. The continuous monitoring aspects require meetings to be held at regular intervals with the minutes of the meetings officially recorded and documented. To ensure that a QA program is effective, the program itself should be audited for quality at regular intervals at least annually. It has been recognised that the current QA program has not kept abreast with the rapid implementation of new and advanced radiation therapy technologies with the most recent in image-based radiation therapy technology. The societal bodies (ASTRO and AAPM) and federal agency (NCI) acknowledge this inadequacy and have held workshops to address this issue. The challenges for the societal bodies and federal agency are numerous that include (a) the prescriptive methodology

A pilot quality assurance scheme for diabetic retinopathy risk reduction programmes.

PubMed

Garvican, L; Scanlon, P H

2004-10-01

We describe a pilot study of measurement of quality assurance targets for diabetic retinopathy screening and performance comparison between 10 existing services, in preparation for the roll-out of the national programme. In 1999 the UK National Screening Committee approved proposals for a national diabetic retinopathy risk reduction programme, including recommendations for quality assurance, but implementation was held pending publication of the National Service Framework for Diabetes. Existing services requested the authors to perform a pilot study of a QA scheme, indicating willingness to contribute data for comparison. Objectives and quality standards were developed, following consultation with diabetologists, ophthalmologists and retinal screeners. Services submitted 2001/2 performance data, in response to a questionnaire, for anonymization, central analysis and comparison. The 17 quality standards encompass all aspects of the programme from identification of patients to timeliness of treatment. Ten programmes took part, submitting all the data available. All returns were incomplete, but especially so from the optometry-based schemes. Eight or more services demonstrated they could reach the minimum level in only five of the 17 standards. Thirty per cent could not provide coverage data. All were running behind. Reasons for difficulties in obtaining data and/or failing to achieve standards included severe under-funding and little previous experience of QA. Information systems were limited and incompatible between diabetes and eye units, and there was a lack of co-ordinated management of the whole programme. Quality assurance is time-consuming, expensive and inadequately resourced. The pilot study identified priorities for local action. National programme implementation must involve integral quality assurance mechanisms from the outset.

Quality Assurance of Real-Time Oceanographic Data from the Cabled Array of the Ocean Observatories Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawka, O. E.; Nelson, J. S.; Manalang, D.; Kelley, D. S.

2016-02-01

The Cabled Array component of the NSF-funded Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) provides access to real-time physical, chemical, geological, and biological data from water column and seafloor platforms/instruments at sites spanning the southern half of the Juan de Fuca Plate. The Quality Assurance (QA) program for OOI data is designed to ensure that data products meet OOI science requirements. This overall data QA plan establishes the guidelines for assuring OOI data quality and summarizes Quality Control (QC) protocols and procedures, based on best practices, which can be utilized to ensure the highest quality data across the OOI program. This presentation will highlight, specifically, the QA/QC approach being utilized for the OOI Cabled Array infrastructure and data and will include a summary of both shipboard and shore-based protocols currently in use. Aspects addressed will be pre-deployment instrument testing and calibration checks, post-deployment and pre-recovery field verification of data, and post-recovery "as-found" testing of instruments. Examples of QA/QC data will be presented and specific cases of cabled data will be discussed in the context of quality assessments and adjustment/correction of OOI datasets overall for inherent sensor drift and/or instrument fouling.

Cervical cancer screening in Europe: Quality assurance and organisation of programmes.

PubMed

Elfström, K Miriam; Arnheim-Dahlström, Lisen; von Karsa, Lawrence; Dillner, Joakim

2015-05-01

Cervical screening programmes have reduced cervical cancer incidence and mortality but the level of success is highly variable between countries. Organisation of programmes is essential for equity and cost-effectiveness. However, there are differences in effectiveness, also among organised programmes. In order to identify the key organisational components that determine effectiveness, we performed a Europe-wide survey on the current status of organisation and organised quality assurance (QA) measures in cervical cancer prevention programmes, as well as organisation-associated costs. A comprehensive questionnaire was developed through systematic review of literature and existing guidelines. The survey was sent to programme organisers, Ministries of Health and experts in 34 European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) countries. Detailed aspects of programme organisation, quality assurance, monitoring, evaluation and corresponding line-item costs were recorded. Documentation of programme guidelines, protocols and publications was requested. Twenty-nine of 34 countries responded. The results showed that organised efforts for QA, monitoring and evaluation were carried out to a differing extent and were not standardised, making it difficult to compare the cost-effectiveness of organisation and QA strategies. Most countries found it hard to estimate the costs associated with launching and operating the organised programme. To our knowledge, this is the first questionnaire to request detailed information on the actual organisation and QA of programmes. The results of this survey can be used as a basis for further development of standardised guidelines on organisation and QA of cervical cancer screening programmes in Europe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Quality assurance and quality improvement. Personal experiences and intentions].

PubMed

Roche, B G; Sommer, C

1995-01-01

In may 1994 we were selected by the surgical Swiss association to make a study about quality in USA. During our travel we visited 3 types of institutions: Hospitals, National Institute of standard and Technology, Industry, Johnson & Johnson. We appreciate to compare 2 types of quality programs: Quality Assurance (QA) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). In traditional healthcare circles, QA is the process established to meet external regulatory requirements and to assure that patient care is consistent with established standards. In a modern quality terms, QA outside of healthcare means designing a product or service, as well as controlling its production, so well that quality is inevitable. The ideas of W. Edward Deming is that there is never improvement just by inspection. He developed a theory based on 14 principles. A productive work is accomplished through processes. Understanding the variability of processes is a key to improve quality. Quality management sees each person in an organisation as part of one or more processes. The job of every worker is to receive the work of others, add value to that work, and supply it to the next person in the process. This is called the triple role the workers as customer, processor, and supplier. The main source of quality defects is problems in the process. The old assumption is that quality fails when people do the right thing wrong; the new assumption is that, more often, quality failures arise when people do the wrong think right. Exhortation, incentives and discipline of workers are unlikely to improve quality. If quality is failing when people do their jobs as designed, then exhorting them to do better is managerial nonsense. Modern quality theory is customer focused. Customers are identified internally and externally. The modern approach to quality is thoroughly grounded in scientific and statistical thinking. Like in medicine, the symptom is a defect in quality. The therapist of process must perform diagnostic

Quality assurance of intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

PubMed

Palta, Jatinder R; Liu, Chihray; Li, Jonathan G

2008-01-01

The current paradigm for the quality assurance (QA) program for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) includes QA of the treatment planning system, QA of the delivery system, and patient-specific QA. Although the IMRT treatment planning and delivery system is the same as for conventional three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, it has more parameters to coordinate and verify. Because of complex beam intensity modulation, each IMRT field often includes many small irregular off-axis fields, resulting in isodose distributions for each IMRT plan that are more conformal than those from conventional treatment plans. Therefore, these features impose a new and more stringent set of QA requirements for IMRT planning and delivery. The generic test procedures to validate dose calculation and delivery accuracy for both treatment planning and IMRT delivery have to be customized for each type of IMRT planning and delivery strategy. The rationale for such an approach is that the overall accuracy of IMRT delivery is incumbent on the piecewise uncertainties in both the planning and delivery processes. The end user must have well-defined evaluation criteria for each element of the planning and delivery process. Such information can potentially be used to determine a priori the accuracy of IMRT planning and delivery.

Measuring and Assuring the Quality of Home Health Care

PubMed Central

Shaughnessy, Peter W.; Crisler, Kathryn S.; Schlenker, Robert E.; Arnold, Angela G.; Kramer, Andrew M.; Powell, Martha C.; Hittle, David F.

1994-01-01

The growth in home health care in the United States since 1970, and the exponential increase in the provision of Medicare-covered home health services over the past 5 years, underscores the critical need to assess the effectiveness of home health care in our society. This article presents conceptual and applied topics and approaches involved in assessing effectiveness through measuring the outcomes of home health care. Definitions are provided for a number of terms that relate to quality of care, outcome measures, risk adjustment, and quality assurance (QA) in home health care. The goal is to provide an overview of a potential systemwide approach to outcome-based QA that has its basis in a partnership between the home health industry and payers or regulators. PMID:10140157

Quality Assurance and Risk Management: A Survey of Dental Schools and Recommendations for Integrated Program Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredekind, Richard E.; Cuny, Eve J.; Nadershahi, Nader A.

2002-01-01

Surveyed U.S. and Canadian dental schools about integration of quality assurance (QA) and risk management (RM) and what mechanisms have been most effective in measuring accomplishments. Main findings included that a majority of schools had a written QA program and committee and many reported significant changes resulting from the program; over…

Underground Test Area Quality Assurance Project Plan Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Irene Farnham

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) provides the overall quality assurance (QA) program requirements and general quality practices to be applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) Sub-Project (hereafter the Sub-Project) activities. The requirements in this QAPP are consistent with DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance (DOE, 2005); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling (EPA, 2002); and EPA Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models (EPA, 2009). The QAPP Revision 0 supersedes DOE--341, Underground Test Area Quality Assurancemore » Project Plan, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 4.« less

[Physical and technical quality assurance in German breast cancer screening: progress report of the Reference Center Muenster after three years].

PubMed

Sommer, A; Girnus, R; Wendt, B; Czwoydzinski, J; Wüstenbecker, C; Heindel, W; Lenzen, H

2009-05-01

German breast cancer screening is monitored by a large physical quality assurance program. This report refers to the first experiences of the Reference Center (RC) Muenster after three years of the technical quality control of digital and analog mammography units (MU). This paper also shows whether the presently used quality assurance (QA) method is able to ensure that the MUs in the screening program are functioning without any serious problems. RC Muenster supervises 95 units (May 2008). The daily, weekly and monthly quality assurance of these units is controlled by web-based QA software named "MammoConrol" and developed by RC Muenster. The annual QA for the units must be conducted in the form of an on-site inspection by medical physics experts of the RC and is scored by an objective ranking system. The results of these QA routines were evaluated and analyzed for this paper. During the period from 3/1/2006 to 5/31/2008, 8 % of the analog systems and 1 % of the digital systems exhibited problems in the daily QA. For 9 % of the analog MUs and 17 % of the digital MUs, failures appeared in the monthly QA. In the annual control, 86.7 % of the analog units exhibited slight problems and 13.3 % had serious problems. With respect to the digital units, 12 % were without any defects, 58 % had slight problems, 27 % had serious failures and 3 % had to be reported to the responsible authorities and were temporarily shut down. The special quality control requirements for German breast cancer screening, including annual on-site checks of the units, have shown in the last three years that QA with a high monitoring standard can be ensured for a large number of decentralized MUs. The currently used QA method sufficiently ensures that the screening program is technically safe. Further studies must show whether the density and focus of the QA measures must be reconfigured.

International Perspectives on Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine: Outcomes of an IAEA Conference

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shortt, Ken; Davidsson, Lena; Hendry, Jolyon

2008-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency organized an international conference called, 'Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine' (QANTRM). It dealt with quality assurance (QA) in all aspects of radiation medicine (diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy) at the international level. Participants discussed QA issues pertaining to the implementation of new technologies and the need for education and staff training. The advantage of developing a comprehensive and harmonized approach to QA covering both the technical and the managerial issues was emphasized to ensure the optimization of benefits to patient safety and effectiveness. The necessary coupling between medical radiation imaging andmore » radiotherapy was stressed, particularly for advanced technologies. However, the need for a more systematic approach to the adoption of advanced technologies was underscored by a report on failures in intensity-modulated radiotherapy dosimetry auditing tests in the United States, which could imply inadequate implementation of QA for these new technologies. A plenary session addressed the socioeconomic impact of introducing advanced technologies in resource-limited settings. How shall the dual gaps, one in access to basic medical services and the other in access to high-quality modern technology, be addressed?.« less

International perspectives on quality assurance and new techniques in radiation medicine: outcomes of an IAEA conference.

PubMed

Shortt, Ken; Davidsson, Lena; Hendry, Jolyon; Dondi, Maurizio; Andreo, Pedro

2008-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency organized an international conference called, "Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine" (QANTRM). It dealt with quality assurance (QA) in all aspects of radiation medicine (diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy) at the international level. Participants discussed QA issues pertaining to the implementation of new technologies and the need for education and staff training. The advantage of developing a comprehensive and harmonized approach to QA covering both the technical and the managerial issues was emphasized to ensure the optimization of benefits to patient safety and effectiveness. The necessary coupling between medical radiation imaging and radiotherapy was stressed, particularly for advanced technologies. However, the need for a more systematic approach to the adoption of advanced technologies was underscored by a report on failures in intensity-modulated radiotherapy dosimetry auditing tests in the United States, which could imply inadequate implementation of QA for these new technologies. A plenary session addressed the socioeconomic impact of introducing advanced technologies in resource-limited settings. How shall the dual gaps, one in access to basic medical services and the other in access to high-quality modern technology, be addressed?

Quality assurance, training, and certification in ozone air pollution studies

Treesearch

Susan Schilling; Paul Miller; Brent Takemoto

1996-01-01

Uniform, or standard, measurement methods of data are critical to projects monitoring change to forest systems. Standardized methods, with known or estimable errors, contribute greatly to the confidence associated with decisions on the basis of field data collections (Zedaker and Nicholas 1990). Quality assurance (QA) for the measurement process includes operations and...

Maintaining High Quality Data and Consistency Across a Diverse Flux Network: The Ameriflux QA/QC Technical Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, S.; Billesbach, D. P.; Hanson, C. V.; Biraud, S.

2014-12-01

The AmeriFlux quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) technical team conducts short term (<2 weeks) intercomparisons using a portable eddy covariance system (PECS) to maintain high quality data observations and data consistency across the AmeriFlux network (http://ameriflux.lbl.gov/). Site intercomparisons identify discrepancies between the in situ and portable measurements and calculated fluxes. Findings are jointly discussed by the site staff and the QA/QC team to improve in the situ observations. Despite the relatively short duration of an individual site intercomparison, the accumulated record of all site visits (numbering over 100 since 2002) is a unique dataset. The ability to deploy redundant sensors provides a rare opportunity to identify, quantify, and understand uncertainties in eddy covariance and ancillary measurements. We present a few specific case studies from QA/QC site visits to highlight and share new and relevant findings related to eddy covariance instrumentation and operation.

Hubble Space Telescope: SRM/QA observations and lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodney, George A.

1990-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Optical Systems Board of Investigation was established on July 2, 1990 to review, analyze, and evaluate the facts and circumstances regarding the manufacture, development, and testing of the HST Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA). Specifically, the board was tasked to ascertain what caused the spherical aberration and how it escaped notice until on-orbit operation. The error that caused the on-orbit spherical aberration in the primary mirror was traced to the assembly process of the Reflective Null Corrector, one of the three Null Correctors developed as special test equipment (STE) to measure and test the primary mirror. Therefore, the safety, reliability, maintainability, and quality assurance (SRM&QA) investigation covers the events and the overall product assurance environment during the manufacturing phase of the primary mirror and Null Correctors (from 1978 through 1981). The SRM&QA issues that were identified during the HST investigation are summarized. The crucial product assurance requirements (including nonconformance processing) for the HST are examined. The history of Quality Assurance (QA) practices at Perkin-Elmer (P-E) for the period under investigation are reviewed. The importance of the information management function is discussed relative to data retention/control issues. Metrology and other critical technical issues also are discussed. The SRM&QA lessons learned from the investigation are presented along with specific recommendations. Appendix A provides the MSFC SRM&QA report. Appendix B provides supplemental reference materials. Appendix C presents the findings of the independent optical consultants, Optical Research Associates (ORA). Appendix D provides further details of the fault-tree analysis portion of the investigation process.

owl-qa | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

owl-qa is an OWL-based QA tool for cancer study CDEs. The tool uses the combination of the NCI Thesaurus and additional disjointness axioms to detect potential errors and duplications in the data element definitions. The tool comprises three modules: Data Integration and Services Module; Compositional Expression Transformation Module; and OWL-based Quality Assurance Module.

Helical tomotherapy quality assurance with ArcCHECK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapman, David; Barnett, Rob; Yartsev, Slav, E-mail: slav.yartsev@lhsc.on.ca

2014-07-01

To design a quality assurance (QA) procedure for helical tomotherapy that measures multiple beam parameters with 1 delivery and uses a rotating gantry to simulate treatment conditions. The customized QA procedure was preprogrammed on the tomotherapy operator station. The dosimetry measurements were performed using an ArcCHECK diode array and an A1SL ion chamber inserted in the central holder. The ArcCHECK was positioned 10 cm above the isocenter so that the 21-cm diameter detector array could measure the 40-cm wide tomotherapy beam. During the implementation of the new QA procedure, separate comparative measurements were made using ion chambers in both liquidmore » and solid water, the tomotherapy onboard detector array, and a MapCHECK diode array for a period of 10 weeks. There was good agreement (within 1.3%) for the beam output and cone ratio obtained with the new procedure and the routine QA measurements. The measured beam energy was comparable (0.3%) to solid water measurement during the 10-week evaluation period, excluding 2 of the 10 measurements with unusually high background. The symmetry reading was similarly compromised for those 2 weeks, and on the other weeks, it deviated from the solid water reading by ∼2.5%. The ArcCHECK phantom presents a suitable alternative for performing helical tomotherapy QA, provided the background is collected properly. The proposed weekly procedure using ArcCHECK and water phantom makes the QA process more efficient.« less

Power Supplies for Space Systems Quality Assurance by Sandia Laboratories

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Hannigan, R. L.; Harnar, R. R.

1976-07-01

The Sandia Laboratories` participation in Quality Assurance programs for Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators which have been used in space systems over the past 10 years is summarized. Basic elements of this QA program are briefly described and recognition of assistance from other Sandia organizations is included. Descriptions of the various systems for which Sandia has had the QA responsibility are presented, including SNAP 19 (Nimbus, Pioneer, Viking), SNAP 27 (Apollo), Transit, Multi Hundred Watt (LES 8/9 and MJS), and a new program, High Performance Generator Mod 3. The outlook for Sandia participation in RTG programs for the next several years is noted.

The Practice of a Quality Assurance System in Open and Distance Learning: A Case Study at Universitas Terbuka Indonesia (The Indonesia Open University)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belawati, Tian; Zuhairi, Amin

2007-01-01

Quality assurance for distance higher education is one of the main concerns among institutions and stakeholders today. This paper examines the experiences of Universitas Terbuka (UT), which has initiated and implemented an innovative strategy of quality assurance (QA) for continuous improvement. The credo of the UT quality assurance system is…

The NCS code of practice for the quality assurance and control for volumetric modulated arc therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mans, Anton; Schuring, Danny; Arends, Mark P.; Vugts, Cornelia A. J. M.; Wolthaus, Jochem W. H.; Lotz, Heidi T.; Admiraal, Marjan; Louwe, Rob J. W.; Öllers, Michel C.; van de Kamer, Jeroen B.

2016-10-01

In 2010, the NCS (Netherlands Commission on Radiation Dosimetry) installed a subcommittee to develop guidelines for quality assurance and control for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatments. The report (published in 2015) has been written by Dutch medical physicists and has therefore, inevitably, a Dutch focus. This paper is a condensed version of these guidelines, the full report in English is freely available from the NCS website www.radiationdosimetry.org. After describing the transition from IMRT to VMAT, the paper addresses machine quality assurance (QA) and treatment planning system (TPS) commissioning for VMAT. The final section discusses patient specific QA issues such as the use of class solutions, measurement devices and dose evaluation methods.

Redesigning Radiotherapy Quality Assurance: Opportunities to Develop an Efficient, Evidence-Based System to Support Clinical Trials-Report of the National Cancer Institute Work Group on Radiotherapy Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bekelman, Justin E., E-mail: bekelman@uphs.upenn.edu; Deye, James A.; Vikram, Bhadrasain

2012-07-01

Purpose: In the context of national calls for reorganizing cancer clinical trials, the National Cancer Institute sponsored a 2-day workshop to examine challenges and opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) in clinical trial design. Methods and Materials: Participants reviewed the current processes of clinical trial QA and noted the QA challenges presented by advanced technologies. The lessons learned from the radiotherapy QA programs of recent trials were discussed in detail. Four potential opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy QA were explored, including the use of normal tissue toxicity and tumor control metrics, biomarkers of radiation toxicity, new radiotherapy modalities such asmore » proton beam therapy, and the international harmonization of clinical trial QA. Results: Four recommendations were made: (1) to develop a tiered (and more efficient) system for radiotherapy QA and tailor the intensity of QA to the clinical trial objectives (tiers include general credentialing, trial-specific credentialing, and individual case review); (2) to establish a case QA repository; (3) to develop an evidence base for clinical trial QA and introduce innovative prospective trial designs to evaluate radiotherapy QA in clinical trials; and (4) to explore the feasibility of consolidating clinical trial QA in the United States. Conclusion: Radiotherapy QA can affect clinical trial accrual, cost, outcomes, and generalizability. To achieve maximum benefit, QA programs must become more efficient and evidence-based.« less

Redesigning radiotherapy quality assurance: opportunities to develop an efficient, evidence-based system to support clinical trials--report of the National Cancer Institute Work Group on Radiotherapy Quality Assurance.

PubMed

Bekelman, Justin E; Deye, James A; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Bentzen, Soren M; Bruner, Deborah; Curran, Walter J; Dignam, James; Efstathiou, Jason A; FitzGerald, T J; Hurkmans, Coen; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Lee, J Jack; Merchant, Thomas E; Michalski, Jeff; Palta, Jatinder R; Simon, Richard; Ten Haken, Randal K; Timmerman, Robert; Tunis, Sean; Coleman, C Norman; Purdy, James

2012-07-01

In the context of national calls for reorganizing cancer clinical trials, the National Cancer Institute sponsored a 2-day workshop to examine challenges and opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) in clinical trial design. Participants reviewed the current processes of clinical trial QA and noted the QA challenges presented by advanced technologies. The lessons learned from the radiotherapy QA programs of recent trials were discussed in detail. Four potential opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy QA were explored, including the use of normal tissue toxicity and tumor control metrics, biomarkers of radiation toxicity, new radiotherapy modalities such as proton beam therapy, and the international harmonization of clinical trial QA. Four recommendations were made: (1) to develop a tiered (and more efficient) system for radiotherapy QA and tailor the intensity of QA to the clinical trial objectives (tiers include general credentialing, trial-specific credentialing, and individual case review); (2) to establish a case QA repository; (3) to develop an evidence base for clinical trial QA and introduce innovative prospective trial designs to evaluate radiotherapy QA in clinical trials; and (4) to explore the feasibility of consolidating clinical trial QA in the United States. Radiotherapy QA can affect clinical trial accrual, cost, outcomes, and generalizability. To achieve maximum benefit, QA programs must become more efficient and evidence-based. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A method of setting limits for the purpose of quality assurance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanghangthum, Taweap; Suriyapee, Sivalee; Kim, Gwe-Ya; Pawlicki, Todd

2013-10-01

The result from any assurance measurement needs to be checked against some limits for acceptability. There are two types of limits; those that define clinical acceptability (action limits) and those that are meant to serve as a warning that the measurement is close to the action limits (tolerance limits). Currently, there is no standard procedure to set these limits. In this work, we propose an operational procedure to set tolerance limits and action limits. The approach to establish the limits is based on techniques of quality engineering using control charts and a process capability index. The method is different for tolerance limits and action limits with action limits being categorized into those that are specified and unspecified. The procedure is to first ensure process control using the I-MR control charts. Then, the tolerance limits are set equal to the control chart limits on the I chart. Action limits are determined using the Cpm process capability index with the requirements that the process must be in-control. The limits from the proposed procedure are compared to an existing or conventional method. Four examples are investigated: two of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) point dose quality assurance (QA) and two of routine linear accelerator output QA. The tolerance limits range from about 6% larger to 9% smaller than conventional action limits for VMAT QA cases. For the linac output QA, tolerance limits are about 60% smaller than conventional action limits. The operational procedure describe in this work is based on established quality management tools and will provide a systematic guide to set up tolerance and action limits for different equipment and processes.

USEPA QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDITOR IS SCHEDULED FOR A VISIT. WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental studies involving data collection activities conducted by or for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are required to undergo a review of their data collection activities. his review is usually in the form of an independent quality assurance (QA...

Development and implementation of a comprehensive quality assurance program at a community endoscopy facility.

PubMed

Hilsden, Robert Jay; Rostom, Alaa; Dubé, Catherine; Pontifex, Darlene; McGregor, S Elizabeth; Bridges, Ronald J

2011-10-01

Quality assurance (QA) is a process that includes the systematic evaluation of a service, institution of improvements and ongoing evaluation to ensure that effective changes were made. QA is a fundamental component of any organized colorectal cancer screening program. However, it should play an equally important role in opportunistic screening. Establishing the processes and procedures for a comprehensive QA program can be a daunting proposition for an endoscopy unit. The present article describes the steps taken to establish a QA program at the Forzani & MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre (Calgary, Alberta) - a colorectal cancer screening centre and nonhospital endoscopy unit that is dedicated to providing colorectal cancer screening-related colonoscopies. Lessons drawn from the authors' experience may help others develop their own initiatives. The Global Rating Scale, a quality assessment and improvement tool developed for the gastrointestinal endoscopy services of the United Kingdom's National Health Service, was used as the framework to develop the QA program. QA activities include monitoring the patient experience through surveys, creating endoscopist report cards on colonoscopy performance, tracking and evaluating adverse events and monitoring wait times.

How Are the Results of Quality Assurance Programs Used to Inform Practices at a Distance Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darojat, Ojat

2018-01-01

This paper is to examine the implementation of quality assurance (QA) programs in distance higher education. Different challenges related to the development of QA programs at a distance higher institution and how to manage and implement the programs are discussed to show how the programs have been used to ensure the survival of the institution. A…

Quality Assurance and Foreign Languages--Reflecting on Oral Assessment Practices in Two University Spanish Language Programs in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Díaz, Adriana R.; Hortiguera, Hugo; Espinoza Vera, Marcia

2015-01-01

In the era of quality assurance (QA), close scrutiny of assessment practices has been intensified worldwide across the board. However, in the Australian context, trends in QA efforts have not reached the field of modern/foreign languages. This has largely resulted in leaving the establishment of language proficiency benchmarking up to individual…

A national analytical quality assurance program: Developing guidelines and analytical tools for the forest inventory and analysis program

Treesearch

Phyllis C. Adams; Glenn A. Christensen

2012-01-01

A rigorous quality assurance (QA) process assures that the data and information provided by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program meet the highest possible standards of precision, completeness, representativeness, comparability, and accuracy. FIA relies on its analysts to check the final data quality prior to release of a State’s data to the national FIA...

Underground Test Area Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Quality Assurance Report Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krenzien, Susan; Marutzky, Sam

This report is required by the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) and identifies the UGTA quality assurance (QA) activities for fiscal year (FY) 2013. All UGTA organizations—U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO); Desert Research Institute (DRI); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Navarro-Intera, LLC (N-I); National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec); and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—conducted QA activities in FY 2013. The activities included conducting assessments, identifying findings and completing corrective actions, evaluating laboratory performance, and publishing documents. In addition, integrated UGTA required reading and correctivemore » action tracking was instituted.« less

The Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Quality Assurance Project Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, N. J.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has conducted interim groundwater remedial activities on the Hanford Site since the mid-1990s for several groundwater contamination plumes. DOE established the Columbia River Protection Supplemental Technologies Project (Technologies Project) in 2006 to evaluate alternative treatment technologies. The objectives for the technology project are as follows: develop a 300 Area polyphosphate treatability test to immobilize uranium, design and test infiltration of a phosphate/apatite technology for Sr-90 at 100-N, perform carbon tetrachloride and chloroform attenuation parameter studies, perform vadose zone chromium characterization and geochemistry studies, perform in situ biostimulation of chromium studies for a reducing barriermore » at 100-D, and perform a treatability test for phytoremediation for Sr-90 at 100-N. This document provides the quality assurance guidelines that will be followed by the Technologies Project. This Quality Assurance Project Plan is based on the quality assurance requirements of DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance, and 10 CFR 830, Subpart A--Quality Assurance Requirements as delineated in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Standards-Based Management System. In addition, the technology project is subject to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA/240/B-01/003, QA/R-5). The Hanford Analytical Services Quality Assurance Requirements Documents (HASQARD, DOE/RL-96-68) apply to portions of this project and to the subcontractors. HASQARD requirements are discussed within applicable sections of this plan.« less

TH-A-BRC-02: AAPM TG-178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goetsch, S.

AAPM TG-135U1 QA for Robotic Radiosurgery - Sonja Dieterich Since the publication of AAPM TG-135 in 2011, the technology of robotic radiosurgery has rapidly developed. AAPM TG-135U1 will provide recommendations on the clinical practice for using the IRIS collimator, fiducial-less real-time motion tracking, and Monte Carlo based treatment planning. In addition, it will summarize currently available literature about uncertainties. Learning Objectives: Understand the progression of technology since the first TG publication Learn which new QA procedures should be implemented for new technologies Be familiar with updates to clinical practice guidelines AAPM TG-178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance -more » Steven Goetsch Purpose: AAPM Task Group 178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance was formed in August, 2008. The Task Group has 12 medical physicists, two physicians and two consultants. Methods: A round robin dosimetry intercomparison of proposed ionization chambers, electrometer and dosimetry phantoms was conducted over a 15 month period in 2011 and 2012 (Med Phys 42, 11, Nov, 2015). The data obtained at 9 institutions (with ten different Elekta Gamma Knife units) was analyzed by the lead author using several protocols. Results: The most consistent results were obtained using the Elekta ABS 16cm diameter phantom, with the TG-51 protocol modified as recommended by Alfonso et al (Med Phys 35, 11, Nov 2008). A key white paper (Med Phys, in press) sponsored by Elekta Corporation, was used to obtain correction factors for the ionization chambers and phantoms used in this intercomparison. Consistent results were obtained for both Elekta Gamma Knife Model 4C and Gamma Knife Perfexion units as measured with each of two miniature ionization chambers. Conclusion: The full report gives clinical history and background of gamma stereotactic radiosurgery, clinical examples and history, quality assurance recommendations and

Helical tomotherapy quality assurance with ArcCHECK.

PubMed

Chapman, David; Barnett, Rob; Yartsev, Slav

2014-01-01

To design a quality assurance (QA) procedure for helical tomotherapy that measures multiple beam parameters with 1 delivery and uses a rotating gantry to simulate treatment conditions. The customized QA procedure was preprogrammed on the tomotherapy operator station. The dosimetry measurements were performed using an ArcCHECK diode array and an A1SL ion chamber inserted in the central holder. The ArcCHECK was positioned 10cm above the isocenter so that the 21-cm diameter detector array could measure the 40-cm wide tomotherapy beam. During the implementation of the new QA procedure, separate comparative measurements were made using ion chambers in both liquid and solid water, the tomotherapy onboard detector array, and a MapCHECK diode array for a period of 10 weeks. There was good agreement (within 1.3%) for the beam output and cone ratio obtained with the new procedure and the routine QA measurements. The measured beam energy was comparable (0.3%) to solid water measurement during the 10-week evaluation period, excluding 2 of the 10 measurements with unusually high background. The symmetry reading was similarly compromised for those 2 weeks, and on the other weeks, it deviated from the solid water reading by ~2.5%. The ArcCHECK phantom presents a suitable alternative for performing helical tomotherapy QA, provided the background is collected properly. The proposed weekly procedure using ArcCHECK and water phantom makes the QA process more efficient. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Analysis and Quality Assurance for Diffusion Tensor Imaging

PubMed Central

Lauzon, Carolyn B.; Asman, Andrew J.; Esparza, Michael L.; Burns, Scott S.; Fan, Qiuyun; Gao, Yurui; Anderson, Adam W.; Davis, Nicole; Cutting, Laurie E.; Landman, Bennett A.

2013-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables non-invasive, cyto-architectural mapping of in vivo tissue microarchitecture through voxel-wise mathematical modeling of multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisitions, each differently sensitized to water diffusion. DTI computations are fundamentally estimation processes and are sensitive to noise and artifacts. Despite widespread adoption in the neuroimaging community, maintaining consistent DTI data quality remains challenging given the propensity for patient motion, artifacts associated with fast imaging techniques, and the possibility of hardware changes/failures. Furthermore, the quantity of data acquired per voxel, the non-linear estimation process, and numerous potential use cases complicate traditional visual data inspection approaches. Currently, quality inspection of DTI data has relied on visual inspection and individual processing in DTI analysis software programs (e.g. DTIPrep, DTI-studio). However, recent advances in applied statistical methods have yielded several different metrics to assess noise level, artifact propensity, quality of tensor fit, variance of estimated measures, and bias in estimated measures. To date, these metrics have been largely studied in isolation. Herein, we select complementary metrics for integration into an automatic DTI analysis and quality assurance pipeline. The pipeline completes in 24 hours, stores statistical outputs, and produces a graphical summary quality analysis (QA) report. We assess the utility of this streamlined approach for empirical quality assessment on 608 DTI datasets from pediatric neuroimaging studies. The efficiency and accuracy of quality analysis using the proposed pipeline is compared with quality analysis based on visual inspection. The unified pipeline is found to save a statistically significant amount of time (over 70%) while improving the consistency of QA between a DTI expert and a pool of research associates. Projection of QA metrics to a low

Simultaneous analysis and quality assurance for diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Lauzon, Carolyn B; Asman, Andrew J; Esparza, Michael L; Burns, Scott S; Fan, Qiuyun; Gao, Yurui; Anderson, Adam W; Davis, Nicole; Cutting, Laurie E; Landman, Bennett A

2013-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables non-invasive, cyto-architectural mapping of in vivo tissue microarchitecture through voxel-wise mathematical modeling of multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisitions, each differently sensitized to water diffusion. DTI computations are fundamentally estimation processes and are sensitive to noise and artifacts. Despite widespread adoption in the neuroimaging community, maintaining consistent DTI data quality remains challenging given the propensity for patient motion, artifacts associated with fast imaging techniques, and the possibility of hardware changes/failures. Furthermore, the quantity of data acquired per voxel, the non-linear estimation process, and numerous potential use cases complicate traditional visual data inspection approaches. Currently, quality inspection of DTI data has relied on visual inspection and individual processing in DTI analysis software programs (e.g. DTIPrep, DTI-studio). However, recent advances in applied statistical methods have yielded several different metrics to assess noise level, artifact propensity, quality of tensor fit, variance of estimated measures, and bias in estimated measures. To date, these metrics have been largely studied in isolation. Herein, we select complementary metrics for integration into an automatic DTI analysis and quality assurance pipeline. The pipeline completes in 24 hours, stores statistical outputs, and produces a graphical summary quality analysis (QA) report. We assess the utility of this streamlined approach for empirical quality assessment on 608 DTI datasets from pediatric neuroimaging studies. The efficiency and accuracy of quality analysis using the proposed pipeline is compared with quality analysis based on visual inspection. The unified pipeline is found to save a statistically significant amount of time (over 70%) while improving the consistency of QA between a DTI expert and a pool of research associates. Projection of QA metrics to a low

Involving mental health service users in quality assurance

PubMed Central

Weinstein, Jenny

2006-01-01

Abstract Objective  This study compares the process and outcomes of two approaches to engaging mental health (MH) service users in the quality assurance (QA) process. Background  QA plays a significant role in health and care services, including those delivered in the voluntary sector. The importance of actively, rather than passively, involving service users in evaluation and service development has been increasingly recognized during the last decade. Design  This retrospective small‐scale study uses document analysis to compare two QA reviews of a MH Day Centre, one that took place in 1998 as a traditional inspection‐type event and one that took place in 2000 as a collaborative process with a user‐led QA agenda. Setting and participants  The project was undertaken with staff, volunteers and service users in a voluntary sector MH Day Centre. Intervention  The study compares the management, style, evaluation tools and service user responses for the two reviews; it considers staff perspectives and discusses the implications of a collaborative, user‐led QA process for service development. Results  The first traditional top–down inspection‐type QA event had less ownership from service users and staff and served the main purpose of demonstrating that services met organizational standards. The second review, undertaken collaboratively with a user‐led agenda focused on different priorities, evolving a new approach to seeking users’ views and achieving a higher response rate. Conclusions  Because both users and staff had participated in most aspects of the second review they were more willing to work together and action plan to improve the service. It is suggested that the process contributed to an evolving ethos of more effective quality improvement and user involvement within the organization. PMID:16677189

Comparison of four commercial devices for RapidArc and sliding window IMRT QA

PubMed Central

Chandraraj, Varatharaj; Manickam, Ravikumar; Esquivel, Carlos; Supe, Sanjay S.; Papanikolaou, Nikos

2011-01-01

For intensity‐modulated radiation therapy, evaluation of the measured dose against the treatment planning calculated dose is essential in the context of patient‐specific quality assurance. The complexity of volumetric arc radiotherapy delivery attributed to its dynamic and synchronization nature require new methods and potentially new tools for the quality assurance of such techniques. In the present study, we evaluated and compared the dosimetric performance of EDR2 film and three other commercially available quality assurance devices: IBA I'MatriXX array, PTW Seven29 array and the Delta 4 array. The evaluation of these dosimetric systems was performed for RapidArc and IMRT deliveries using a Varian NovalisTX linear accelerator. The plans were generated using the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system. Our results showed that all four QA techniques yield equivalent results. All patient QAs passed our institutional clinical criteria of gamma index based on a 3% dose difference and 3 mm distance to agreement. In addition, the Bland‐Altman analysis was performed which showed that all the calculated gamma values of all three QA devices were within 5% from those of the film. The results showed that the four QA systems used in this patient‐specific IMRT QA analysis are equivalent. We concluded that the dosimetric systems under investigation can be used interchangeably for routine patient specific QA. PACS numbers: 87.55.Qr, 87.56.Fc

Feasibility study of using statistical process control to customized quality assurance in proton therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rah, Jeong-Eun; Oh, Do Hoon; Shin, Dongho

Purpose: To evaluate and improve the reliability of proton quality assurance (QA) processes and, to provide an optimal customized tolerance level using the statistical process control (SPC) methodology. Methods: The authors investigated the consistency check of dose per monitor unit (D/MU) and range in proton beams to see whether it was within the tolerance level of the daily QA process. This study analyzed the difference between the measured and calculated ranges along the central axis to improve the patient-specific QA process in proton beams by using process capability indices. Results: The authors established a customized tolerance level of ±2% formore » D/MU and ±0.5 mm for beam range in the daily proton QA process. In the authors’ analysis of the process capability indices, the patient-specific range measurements were capable of a specification limit of ±2% in clinical plans. Conclusions: SPC methodology is a useful tool for customizing the optimal QA tolerance levels and improving the quality of proton machine maintenance, treatment delivery, and ultimately patient safety.« less

Feasibility study of using statistical process control to customized quality assurance in proton therapy.

PubMed

Rah, Jeong-Eun; Shin, Dongho; Oh, Do Hoon; Kim, Tae Hyun; Kim, Gwe-Ya

2014-09-01

To evaluate and improve the reliability of proton quality assurance (QA) processes and, to provide an optimal customized tolerance level using the statistical process control (SPC) methodology. The authors investigated the consistency check of dose per monitor unit (D/MU) and range in proton beams to see whether it was within the tolerance level of the daily QA process. This study analyzed the difference between the measured and calculated ranges along the central axis to improve the patient-specific QA process in proton beams by using process capability indices. The authors established a customized tolerance level of ±2% for D/MU and ±0.5 mm for beam range in the daily proton QA process. In the authors' analysis of the process capability indices, the patient-specific range measurements were capable of a specification limit of ±2% in clinical plans. SPC methodology is a useful tool for customizing the optimal QA tolerance levels and improving the quality of proton machine maintenance, treatment delivery, and ultimately patient safety.

Quality assurance of the gene ontology using abstraction networks.

PubMed

Ochs, Christopher; Perl, Yehoshua; Halper, Michael; Geller, James; Lomax, Jane

2016-06-01

The gene ontology (GO) is used extensively in the field of genomics. Like other large and complex ontologies, quality assurance (QA) efforts for GO's content can be laborious and time consuming. Abstraction networks (AbNs) are summarization networks that reveal and highlight high-level structural and hierarchical aggregation patterns in an ontology. They have been shown to successfully support QA work in the context of various ontologies. Two kinds of AbNs, called the area taxonomy and the partial-area taxonomy, are developed for GO hierarchies and derived specifically for the biological process (BP) hierarchy. Within this framework, several QA heuristics, based on the identification of groups of anomalous terms which exhibit certain taxonomy-defined characteristics, are introduced. Such groups are expected to have higher error rates when compared to other terms. Thus, by focusing QA efforts on anomalous terms one would expect to find relatively more erroneous content. By automatically identifying these potential problem areas within an ontology, time and effort will be saved during manual reviews of GO's content. BP is used as a testbed, with samples of three kinds of anomalous BP terms chosen for a taxonomy-based QA review. Additional heuristics for QA are demonstrated. From the results of this QA effort, it is observed that different kinds of inconsistencies in the modeling of GO can be exposed with the use of the proposed heuristics. For comparison, the results of QA work on a sample of terms chosen from GO's general population are presented.

Quality Assurance in Education: Current Debates. A Report on a SOED-Sponsored Seminar (Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, June 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stronach, Ian, Ed.

Proceedings of a workshop held at the University of Stirling, Scotland, to critically examine issues in quality assurance (QA) in education are provided in this document. QA is the generic title for a series of business-management models that have been applied to educational contexts to describe and promote school effectiveness. Five papers and…

SU-G-BRB-02: An Open-Source Software Analysis Library for Linear Accelerator Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kerns, J; Yaldo, D

Purpose: Routine linac quality assurance (QA) tests have become complex enough to require automation of most test analyses. A new data analysis software library was built that allows physicists to automate routine linear accelerator quality assurance tests. The package is open source, code tested, and benchmarked. Methods: Images and data were generated on a TrueBeam linac for the following routine QA tests: VMAT, starshot, CBCT, machine logs, Winston Lutz, and picket fence. The analysis library was built using the general programming language Python. Each test was analyzed with the library algorithms and compared to manual measurements taken at the timemore » of acquisition. Results: VMAT QA results agreed within 0.1% between the library and manual measurements. Machine logs (dynalogs & trajectory logs) were successfully parsed; mechanical axis positions were verified for accuracy and MLC fluence agreed well with EPID measurements. CBCT QA measurements were within 10 HU and 0.2mm where applicable. Winston Lutz isocenter size measurements were within 0.2mm of TrueBeam’s Machine Performance Check. Starshot analysis was within 0.2mm of the Winston Lutz results for the same conditions. Picket fence images with and without a known error showed that the library was capable of detecting MLC offsets within 0.02mm. Conclusion: A new routine QA software library has been benchmarked and is available for use by the community. The library is open-source and extensible for use in larger systems.« less

Quality assurance and improvement: the Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Network.

PubMed

Polaner, David M; Martin, Lynn D

2012-01-01

Quality assurance and improvement (QA/QI) is a critical activity in medicine. The use of large-scale collaborative databases is increasingly essential to obtain enough reports with which to establish standards of practice and define the incidence of complications and risk/benefit ratios for rare events. Such projects can enhance local QA/QI endeavors by enabling institutions to obtain benchmark data against which to compare their performance and can be used for prospective analyses of inter-institutional differences to determine 'best practice'. The pediatric regional anesthesia network (PRAN) is such a project. The first data cohort is currently being analyzed and offers insight into how such data can be used to detect trends in adverse events and improve care. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Assessment Report Sandia National Laboratories Fuel Cycle Technologies Quality Assurance Evaluation of FY15 SNL FCT M2 Milestone Deliverables

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Appel, Gordon John

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) program activities are conducted in accordance with FCT Quality Assurance Program Document (FCT-QAPD) requirements. The FCT-QAPD interfaces with SNL approved Quality Assurance Program Description (SNL-QAPD) as explained in the Sandia National Laboratories QA Program Interface Document for FCT Activities (Interface Document). This plan describes SNL's FY16 assessment of SNL's FY15 FCT M2 milestone deliverable's compliance with program QA requirements, including SNL R&A requirements. The assessment is intended to confirm that SNL's FY15 milestone deliverables contain the appropriate authenticated review documentation and that there is a copy marked with SNL R&A numbers.

Quality Assurance Specifications for Planetary Protection Assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Amy

As the European Space Agency planetary protection (PP) activities move forward to support the ExoMars and other planetary missions, it will become necessary to increase staffing of labo-ratories that provide analyses for these programs. Standardization of procedures, a comprehen-sive quality assurance program, and unilateral training of personnel will be necessary to ensure that the planetary protection goals and schedules are met. The PP Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QAQC) program is designed to regulate and monitor procedures performed by labora-tory personnel to ensure that all work meets data quality objectives through the assembly and launch process. Because personnel time is at a premium and sampling schedules are often de-pendent on engineering schedules, it is necessary to have flexible staffing to support all sampling requirements. The most productive approach to having a competent and flexible work force is to establish well defined laboratory procedures and training programs that clearly address the needs of the program and the work force. The quality assurance specification for planetary protection assays has to ensure that labora-tories and associated personnel can demonstrate the competence to perform assays according to the applicable standard AD4. Detailed subjects included in the presentation are as follows: • field and laboratory control criteria • data reporting • personnel training requirements and certification • laboratory audit criteria. Based upon RD2 for primary and secondary validation and RD3 for data quality objectives, the QAQC will provide traceable quality assurance safeguards by providing structured laboratory requirements for guidelines and oversight including training and technical updates, standardized documentation, standardized QA/QC checks, data review and data archiving.

Quality control and quality assurance in genotypic data for genome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

Laurie, Cathy C.; Doheny, Kimberly F.; Mirel, Daniel B.; Pugh, Elizabeth W.; Bierut, Laura J.; Bhangale, Tushar; Boehm, Frederick; Caporaso, Neil E.; Cornelis, Marilyn C.; Edenberg, Howard J.; Gabriel, Stacy B.; Harris, Emily L.; Hu, Frank B.; Jacobs, Kevin; Kraft, Peter; Landi, Maria Teresa; Lumley, Thomas; Manolio, Teri A.; McHugh, Caitlin; Painter, Ian; Paschall, Justin; Rice, John P.; Rice, Kenneth M.; Zheng, Xiuwen; Weir, Bruce S.

2011-01-01

Genome-wide scans of nucleotide variation in human subjects are providing an increasing number of replicated associations with complex disease traits. Most of the variants detected have small effects and, collectively, they account for a small fraction of the total genetic variance. Very large sample sizes are required to identify and validate findings. In this situation, even small sources of systematic or random error can cause spurious results or obscure real effects. The need for careful attention to data quality has been appreciated for some time in this field, and a number of strategies for quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) have been developed. Here we extend these methods and describe a system of QC/QA for genotypic data in genome-wide association studies. This system includes some new approaches that (1) combine analysis of allelic probe intensities and called genotypes to distinguish gender misidentification from sex chromosome aberrations, (2) detect autosomal chromosome aberrations that may affect genotype calling accuracy, (3) infer DNA sample quality from relatedness and allelic intensities, (4) use duplicate concordance to infer SNP quality, (5) detect genotyping artifacts from dependence of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test p-values on allelic frequency, and (6) demonstrate sensitivity of principal components analysis (PCA) to SNP selection. The methods are illustrated with examples from the ‘Gene Environment Association Studies’ (GENEVA) program. The results suggest several recommendations for QC/QA in the design and execution of genome-wide association studies. PMID:20718045

Spacelab data processing facility (SLDPF) quality assurance (QA)/data accounting (DA) expert systems - Transition from prototypes to operational systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basile, Lisa

1988-01-01

The SLDPF is responsible for the capture, quality monitoring processing, accounting, and shipment of Spacelab and/or Attached Shuttle Payloads (ASP) telemetry data to various user facilities. Expert systems will aid in the performance of the quality assurance and data accounting functions of the two SLDPF functional elements: the Spacelab Input Processing System (SIPS) and the Spacelab Output Processing System (SOPS). Prototypes were developed for each as independent efforts. The SIPS Knowledge System Prototype (KSP) used the commercial shell OPS5+ on an IBM PC/AT; the SOPS Expert System Prototype used the expert system shell CLIPS implemented on a Macintosh personal computer. Both prototypes emulate the duties of the respective QA/DA analysts based upon analyst input and predetermined mission criteria parameters, and recommended instructions and decisions governing the reprocessing, release, or holding for further analysis of data. These prototypes demonstrated feasibility and high potential for operational systems. Increase in productivity, decrease of tedium, consistency, concise historical records, and a training tool for new analyses were the principal advantages. An operational configuration, taking advantage of the SLDPF network capabilities, is under development with the expert systems being installed on SUN workstations. This new configuration in conjunction with the potential of the expert systems will enhance the efficiency, in both time and quality, of the SLDPF's release of Spacelab/AST data products.

Spacelab data processing facility (SLDPF) Quality Assurance (QA)/Data Accounting (DA) expert systems: Transition from prototypes to operational systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basile, Lisa

1988-01-01

The SLDPF is responsible for the capture, quality monitoring processing, accounting, and shipment of Spacelab and/or Attached Shuttle Payloads (ASP) telemetry data to various user facilities. Expert systems will aid in the performance of the quality assurance and data accounting functions of the two SLDPF functional elements: the Spacelab Input Processing System (SIPS) and the Spacelab Output Processing System (SOPS). Prototypes were developed for each as independent efforts. The SIPS Knowledge System Prototype (KSP) used the commercial shell OPS5+ on an IBM PC/AT; the SOPS Expert System Prototype used the expert system shell CLIPS implemented on a Macintosh personal computer. Both prototypes emulate the duties of the respective QA/DA analysts based upon analyst input and predetermined mission criteria parameters, and recommended instructions and decisions governing the reprocessing, release, or holding for further analysis of data. These prototypes demonstrated feasibility and high potential for operational systems. Increase in productivity, decrease of tedium, consistency, concise historial records, and a training tool for new analyses were the principal advantages. An operational configuration, taking advantage of the SLDPF network capabilities, is under development with the expert systems being installed on SUN workstations. This new configuration in conjunction with the potential of the expert systems will enhance the efficiency, in both time and quality, of the SLDPF's release of Spacelab/AST data products.

Development of concrete QC/QA specifications for highway construction in Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

There is a growing trend toward quality-based specifications in highway construction. A large number of quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) specifications shift the responsibility of day-to-day testing from the state DOH to the contractor. This...

A Novel Scoring Metrics for Quality Assurance of Ocean Color Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, J.; Lee, Z.

2016-02-01

Interpretation of the ocean bio-optical properties from ocean color observations depends on the quality of the ocean color data, specifically the spectrum of remote sensing reflectance (Rrs). The in situ and remotely measured Rrs spectra are inevitably subject to errors induced by instrument calibration, sea-surface correction and atmospheric correction, and other environmental factors. Great efforts have been devoted to the ocean color calibration and validation. Yet, there exist no objective and consensus criteria for assessment of the ocean color data quality. In this study, the gap is filled by developing a novel metrics for such data quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). This new QA metrics is not intended to discard "suspicious" Rrs spectra from available datasets. Rather, it takes into account the Rrs spectral shapes and amplitudes as a whole and grades each Rrs spectrum. This scoring system is developed based on a large ensemble of in situ hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance data measured from various aquatic environments and processed with robust procedures. This system is further tested with the NASA bio-Optical Marine Algorithm Data set (NOMAD), with results indicating significant improvements in the estimation of bio-optical properties when Rrs spectra marked with higher quality assurance are used. This scoring system is further verified with simulated data and satellite ocean color data in various regions, and we envision higher quality ocean color products with the implementation of such a quality screening system.

Project Quality Assurance Plan for research and development services provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in support of the Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio Operable Unit 1 Stabilization Development and Treatability Studies Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilliam, T.M.

1991-05-01

This Project Quality Assurance Plan (PQAP) sets forth the quality assurance (QA) requirements that are applied to those elements of the Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio (WMCO) Operable Unit 1 support at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) project that involve research and development (R D) performed at ORNL. This is in compliance with the applicable criteria of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, ANSI/ASME NQA-1, as specified by Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Order 5700.6B. For this application, NQA-1 is the core QA Program requirements document. QA policy, normally found in the requirements document, is contained herein.more » The requirements of this PQAP apply to project activities that affect the quality and reliability/credibility of research, development, and investigative data and documentation. These activities include the functions of attaining quality objectives and assuring that an appropriate QA program scope is established. The scope of activities affecting quality includes organization; personnel training and qualifications; design control; procurement; material handling and storage; operating procedures; testing, surveillance, and auditing; R D investigative activities and documentation; deficiencies; corrective actions; and QA record keeping. 12 figs.« less

Multi-Site Quality Assurance Project Plan for Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, and North Shore Gas

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Multi-Site QAPP presents the organization, data quality objectives (DQOs), a set of anticipated activities, sample analysis, data handling and specific Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures associated with Studies done in EPA Region 5

Production and quality assurance automation in the Goddard Space Flight Center Flight Dynamics Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, K. B.; Cox, C. M.; Thomas, C. W.; Cuevas, O. O.; Beckman, R. M.

1994-01-01

The Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) generates numerous products for NASA-supported spacecraft, including the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS's), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE), and the space shuttle. These products include orbit determination data, acquisition data, event scheduling data, and attitude data. In most cases, product generation involves repetitive execution of many programs. The increasing number of missions supported by the FDF has necessitated the use of automated systems to schedule, execute, and quality assure these products. This automation allows the delivery of accurate products in a timely and cost-efficient manner. To be effective, these systems must automate as many repetitive operations as possible and must be flexible enough to meet changing support requirements. The FDF Orbit Determination Task (ODT) has implemented several systems that automate product generation and quality assurance (QA). These systems include the Orbit Production Automation System (OPAS), the New Enhanced Operations Log (NEOLOG), and the Quality Assurance Automation Software (QA Tool). Implementation of these systems has resulted in a significant reduction in required manpower, elimination of shift work and most weekend support, and improved support quality, while incurring minimal development cost. This paper will present an overview of the concepts used and experiences gained from the implementation of these automation systems.

76 FR 54800 - International Business Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Quality Assurance Group, San...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Quality Assurance Group, San Jose, California; Notice of... workers of International Business Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Optim Data Studio Tools QA... February 2, 2011 (76 FR 5832). The subject worker group supplies acceptance testing services, design...

Quantitative Approach to Failure Mode and Effect Analysis for Linear Accelerator Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Daniel, Jennifer C., E-mail: jennifer.odaniel@duke.edu; Yin, Fang-Fang

Purpose: To determine clinic-specific linear accelerator quality assurance (QA) TG-142 test frequencies, to maximize physicist time efficiency and patient treatment quality. Methods and Materials: A novel quantitative approach to failure mode and effect analysis is proposed. Nine linear accelerator-years of QA records provided data on failure occurrence rates. The severity of test failure was modeled by introducing corresponding errors into head and neck intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment plans. The relative risk of daily linear accelerator QA was calculated as a function of frequency of test performance. Results: Although the failure severity was greatest for daily imaging QA (imaging vsmore » treatment isocenter and imaging positioning/repositioning), the failure occurrence rate was greatest for output and laser testing. The composite ranking results suggest that performing output and lasers tests daily, imaging versus treatment isocenter and imaging positioning/repositioning tests weekly, and optical distance indicator and jaws versus light field tests biweekly would be acceptable for non-stereotactic radiosurgery/stereotactic body radiation therapy linear accelerators. Conclusions: Failure mode and effect analysis is a useful tool to determine the relative importance of QA tests from TG-142. Because there are practical time limitations on how many QA tests can be performed, this analysis highlights which tests are the most important and suggests the frequency of testing based on each test's risk priority number.« less

TU-FG-201-01: 18-Month Clinical Experience of a Linac Daily Quality Assurance (QA) Solution Using Only EPID and OBI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cai, B; Sun, B; Yaddanapudi, S

Purpose: To describe the clinical use of a Linear Accelerator (Linac) DailyQA system with only EPID and OBI. To assess the reliability over an 18-month period and improve the robustness of this system based on QA failure analysis. Methods: A DailyQA solution utilizing an in-house designed phantom, combined EPID and OBI image acquisitions, and a web-based data analysis and reporting system was commissioned and used in our clinic to measure geometric, dosimetry and imaging components of a Varian Truebeam Linac. During an 18-month period (335 working days), the Daily QA results, including the output constancy, beam flatness and symmetry, uniformity,more » TPR20/10, MV and KV imaging quality, were collected and analyzed. For output constancy measurement, an independent monthly QA system with an ionization chamber (IC) and annual/incidental TG51 measurements with ADCL IC were performed and cross-compared to Daily QA system. Thorough analyses were performed on the recorded QA failures to evaluate the machine performance, optimize the data analysis algorithm, adjust the tolerance setting and improve the training procedure to prevent future failures. Results: A clinical workflow including beam delivery, data analysis, QA report generation and physics approval was established and optimized to suit daily clinical operation. The output tests over the 335 working day period cross-correlated with the monthly QA system within 1.3% and TG51 results within 1%. QA passed with one attempt on 236 days out of 335 days. Based on the QA failures analysis, the Gamma criteria is revised from (1%, 1mm) to (2%, 1mm) considering both QA accuracy and efficiency. Data analysis algorithm is improved to handle multiple entries for a repeating test. Conclusion: We described our 18-month clinical experience on a novel DailyQA system using only EPID and OBI. The long term data presented demonstrated the system is suitable and reliable for Linac daily QA.« less

An open source automatic quality assurance (OSAQA) tool for the ACR MRI phantom.

PubMed

Sun, Jidi; Barnes, Michael; Dowling, Jason; Menk, Fred; Stanwell, Peter; Greer, Peter B

2015-03-01

Routine quality assurance (QA) is necessary and essential to ensure MR scanner performance. This includes geometric distortion, slice positioning and thickness accuracy, high contrast spatial resolution, intensity uniformity, ghosting artefact and low contrast object detectability. However, this manual process can be very time consuming. This paper describes the development and validation of an open source tool to automate the MR QA process, which aims to increase physicist efficiency, and improve the consistency of QA results by reducing human error. The OSAQA software was developed in Matlab and the source code is available for download from http://jidisun.wix.com/osaqa-project/. During program execution QA results are logged for immediate review and are also exported to a spreadsheet for long-term machine performance reporting. For the automatic contrast QA test, a user specific contrast evaluation was designed to improve accuracy for individuals on different display monitors. American College of Radiology QA images were acquired over a period of 2 months to compare manual QA and the results from the proposed OSAQA software. OSAQA was found to significantly reduce the QA time from approximately 45 to 2 min. Both the manual and OSAQA results were found to agree with regard to the recommended criteria and the differences were insignificant compared to the criteria. The intensity homogeneity filter is necessary to obtain an image with acceptable quality and at the same time keeps the high contrast spatial resolution within the recommended criterion. The OSAQA tool has been validated on scanners with different field strengths and manufacturers. A number of suggestions have been made to improve both the phantom design and QA protocol in the future.

Conducting Graduate Tracer Studies for Quality Assurance in East African Universities: A Focus on Graduate Students Voices on Quality Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badiru, Egesah Omar; Wahome, Mary

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to propose a guide for graduate trace studies (GTS) to be adopted by universities and other higher education institutions (HEIs) in East Africa. Their essential role notwithstanding, graduate tracer studies present viable opportunities through which quality assurance (QA) can be institutionalized and mainstreamed in…

An Automatic Image Processing Workflow for Daily Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quality Assurance.

PubMed

Peltonen, Juha I; Mäkelä, Teemu; Sofiev, Alexey; Salli, Eero

2017-04-01

The performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment is typically monitored with a quality assurance (QA) program. The QA program includes various tests performed at regular intervals. Users may execute specific tests, e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly. The exact interval of these measurements varies according to the department policies, machine setup and usage, manufacturer's recommendations, and available resources. In our experience, a single image acquired before the first patient of the day offers a low effort and effective system check. When this daily QA check is repeated with identical imaging parameters and phantom setup, the data can be used to derive various time series of the scanner performance. However, daily QA with manual processing can quickly become laborious in a multi-scanner environment. Fully automated image analysis and results output can positively impact the QA process by decreasing reaction time, improving repeatability, and by offering novel performance evaluation methods. In this study, we have developed a daily MRI QA workflow that can measure multiple scanner performance parameters with minimal manual labor required. The daily QA system is built around a phantom image taken by the radiographers at the beginning of day. The image is acquired with a consistent phantom setup and standardized imaging parameters. Recorded parameters are processed into graphs available to everyone involved in the MRI QA process via a web-based interface. The presented automatic MRI QA system provides an efficient tool for following the short- and long-term stability of MRI scanners.

Quality assurance and quality control for thermal/optical analysis of aerosol samples for organic and elemental carbon.

PubMed

Chow, Judith C; Watson, John G; Robles, Jerome; Wang, Xiaoliang; Chen, L-W Antony; Trimble, Dana L; Kohl, Steven D; Tropp, Richard J; Fung, Kochy K

2011-12-01

Accurate, precise, and valid organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC, respectively) measurements require more effort than the routine analysis of ambient aerosol and source samples. This paper documents the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures that should be implemented to ensure consistency of OC and EC measurements. Prior to field sampling, the appropriate filter substrate must be selected and tested for sampling effectiveness. Unexposed filters are pre-fired to remove contaminants and acceptance tested. After sampling, filters must be stored in the laboratory in clean, labeled containers under refrigeration (<4 °C) to minimize loss of semi-volatile OC. QA activities include participation in laboratory accreditation programs, external system audits, and interlaboratory comparisons. For thermal/optical carbon analyses, periodic QC tests include calibration of the flame ionization detector with different types of carbon standards, thermogram inspection, replicate analyses, quantification of trace oxygen concentrations (<100 ppmv) in the helium atmosphere, and calibration of the sample temperature sensor. These established QA/QC procedures are applicable to aerosol sampling and analysis for carbon and other chemical components.

Quality assurance and quality control of geochemical data—A primer for the research scientist

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geboy, Nicholas J.; Engle, Mark A.

2011-01-01

Geochemistry is a constantly expanding science. More and more, scientists are employing geochemical tools to help answer questions about the Earth and earth system processes. Scientists may assume that the responsibility of examining and assessing the quality of the geochemical data they generate is not theirs but rather that of the analytical laboratories to which their samples have been submitted. This assumption may be partially based on knowledge about internal and external quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs in which analytical laboratories typically participate. Or there may be a perceived lack of time or resources to adequately examine data quality. Regardless of the reason, the lack of QA/QC protocols can lead to the generation and publication of erroneous data. Because the interpretations drawn from the data are primary products to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stakeholders, the consequences of publishing erroneous results can be significant. The principal investigator of a scientific study ultimately is responsible for the quality and interpretation of the project's findings, and thus must also play a role in the understanding, implementation, and presentation of QA/QC information about the data. Although occasionally ignored, QA/QC protocols apply not only to procedures in the laboratory but also in the initial planning of a research study and throughout the life of the project. Many of the tenets of developing a sound QA/QC program or protocols also parallel the core concepts of developing a good study: What is the main objective of the study? Will the methods selected provide data of enough resolution to answer the hypothesis? How should samples be collected? Are there known or unknown artifacts or contamination sources in the sampling and analysis methods? Assessing data quality requires communication between the scientists responsible for designing the study and those collecting samples, analyzing samples, treating data, and

Anatomic modeling using 3D printing: quality assurance and optimization.

PubMed

Leng, Shuai; McGee, Kiaran; Morris, Jonathan; Alexander, Amy; Kuhlmann, Joel; Vrieze, Thomas; McCollough, Cynthia H; Matsumoto, Jane

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide a framework for the development of a quality assurance (QA) program for use in medical 3D printing applications. An interdisciplinary QA team was built with expertise from all aspects of 3D printing. A systematic QA approach was established to assess the accuracy and precision of each step during the 3D printing process, including: image data acquisition, segmentation and processing, and 3D printing and cleaning. Validation of printed models was performed by qualitative inspection and quantitative measurement. The latter was achieved by scanning the printed model with a high resolution CT scanner to obtain images of the printed model, which were registered to the original patient images and the distance between them was calculated on a point-by-point basis. A phantom-based QA process, with two QA phantoms, was also developed. The phantoms went through the same 3D printing process as that of the patient models to generate printed QA models. Physical measurement, fit tests, and image based measurements were performed to compare the printed 3D model to the original QA phantom, with its known size and shape, providing an end-to-end assessment of errors involved in the complete 3D printing process. Measured differences between the printed model and the original QA phantom ranged from -0.32 mm to 0.13 mm for the line pair pattern. For a radial-ulna patient model, the mean distance between the original data set and the scanned printed model was -0.12 mm (ranging from -0.57 to 0.34 mm), with a standard deviation of 0.17 mm. A comprehensive QA process from image acquisition to completed model has been developed. Such a program is essential to ensure the required accuracy of 3D printed models for medical applications.

Portland cement concrete pavement review of QC/QA data 2000 through 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-04-01

This report analyzes the Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QC/QA) data for Portland cement concrete pavement : (PCCP) awarded in the years 2000 through 2009. Analysis of the overall performance of the projects is accomplished by : reviewing the Calc...

The Effect of Job Performance Aids on Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fosshage, Erik

Job performance aids (JPAs) have been studied for many decades in a variety of disciplines and for many different types of tasks, yet this is the first known research experiment using JPAs in a quality assurance (QA) context. The objective of this thesis was to assess whether a JPA has an effect on the performance of a QA observer performing the concurrent dual verification technique for a basic assembly task. The JPA used in this study was a simple checklist, and the design borrows heavily from prior research on task analysis and other human factors principles. The assembly task andmore » QA construct of concurrent dual verification are consistent with those of a high consequence manufacturing environment. Results showed that the JPA had only a limited effect on QA performance in the context of this experiment. However, there were three important and unexpected findings that may draw interest from a variety of practitioners. First, a novel testing methodology sensitive enough to measure the effects of a JPA on performance was created. Second, the discovery that there are different probabilities of detection for different types of error in a QA context may be the most far-reaching results. Third, these results highlight the limitations of concurrent dual verification as a control against defects. It is hoped that both the methodology and results of this study are an effective baseline from which to launch future research activities.« less

The quality assurance liaison: Combined technical and quality assurance support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolivar, S. L.; Day, J. L.

1993-03-01

The role of the quality assurance liaison, the responsibilities of this position, and the evolutionary changes in duties over the last six years are described. The role of the quality assurance liaison has had a very positive impact on the Los Alamos Yucca Mountain Site Characterization (YW) quality assurance program. Having both technical and quality assurance expertise, the quality assurance liaisons are able to facilitate communications with scientists on quality assurance issues and requirements, thereby generating greater productivity in scientific investigations. The quality assurance liaisons help ensure that the scientific community knows and implements existing requirements, is aware of new or changing regulations, and is able to conduct scientific work within Project requirements. The influence of the role of the quality assurance liaison can be measured by an overall improvement in attitude of the staff regarding quality assurance requirements and improved job performance, as well as a decrease in deficiencies identified during both internal and external audits and surveillances. This has resulted in a more effective implementation of quality assurance requirements.

Use of Data Quality Index in Student Feedback for Quality Assurance of Engineering Programmes at the Military Technological College, Muscat, Oman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Wasi Uz Zaman; AlAjmi, Abdullah Ahmed Ali; Al Zubaidy, Sarim

2018-01-01

This case study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the modifications into the engineering programmes adopted by the Military Technological College (MTC) to satisfy the needs of Omani armed forces. It discusses the role of Quality Assurance (QA) in engineering education and accreditation process in the context of four engineering…

The on-site quality-assurance system for Hyper Suprime-Cam: OSQAH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furusawa, Hisanori; Koike, Michitaro; Takata, Tadafumi; Okura, Yuki; Miyatake, Hironao; Lupton, Robert H.; Bickerton, Steven; Price, Paul A.; Bosch, James; Yasuda, Naoki; Mineo, Sogo; Yamada, Yoshihiko; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Nakata, Fumiaki; Koshida, Shintaro; Komiyama, Yutaka; Utsumi, Yousuke; Kawanomoto, Satoshi; Jeschke, Eric; Noumaru, Junichi; Schubert, Kiaina; Iwata, Ikuru; Finet, Francois; Fujiyoshi, Takuya; Tajitsu, Akito; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Lee, Chien-Hsiu

2018-01-01

We have developed an automated quick data analysis system for data quality assurance (QA) for Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). The system was commissioned in 2012-2014, and has been offered for general observations, including the HSC Subaru Strategic Program, since 2014 March. The system provides observers with data quality information, such as seeing, sky background level, and sky transparency, based on quick analysis as data are acquired. Quick-look images and validation of image focus are also provided through an interactive web application. The system is responsible for the automatic extraction of QA information from acquired raw data into a database, to assist with observation planning, assess progress of all observing programs, and monitor long-term efficiency variations of the instrument and telescope. Enhancements of the system are being planned to facilitate final data analysis, to improve the HSC archive, and to provide legacy products for astronomical communities.

Develop a Methodology to Evaluate the Effectiveness of QC/QA Specifications (Phase II)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-08-01

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been implementing statistically based quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) specifications for hot mix asphalt concrete pavements since the early 1990s. These specifications have been continuousl...

Hot mix asphalt voids acceptance review of QC/QA data 2000 through 2004.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-07-01

This report analyzes the Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QC/QA) data for hot mix asphalt using voids acceptance as : the testing criteria for the years 2000 through 2004. Analysis of the overall quality of the HMA is accomplished by : reviewing th...

Experience with modified aerospace reliability and quality assurance method for wind turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, W. E.

1982-01-01

The SR&QA approach assures that the machine is not hazardous to the public or operating personnel, can operate unattended on a utility grid, demonstrates reliability operation, and helps establish the quality assurance and maintainability requirements for future wind turbine projects. The approach consisted of modified failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) during the design phase, minimal hardware inspection during parts fabrication, and three simple documents to control activities during machine construction and operation. Five years experience shows that this low cost approach works well enough that it should be considered by others for similar projects.

Automation of a Linear Accelerator Dosimetric Quality Assurance Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebron Gonzalez, Sharon H.

According to the American Society of Radiation Oncology, two-thirds of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy during their illness with the majority of the treatments been delivered by a linear accelerator (linac). Therefore, quality assurance (QA) procedures must be enforced in order to deliver treatments with a machine in proper conditions. The overall goal of this project is to automate the linac's dosimetric QA procedures by analyzing and accomplishing various tasks. First, the photon beam dosimetry (i.e. total scatter correction factor, infinite percentage depth dose (PDD) and profiles) were parameterized. Parameterization consists of defining the parameters necessary for the specification of a dosimetric quantity model creating a data set that is portable and easy to implement for different applications including: beam modeling data input into a treatment planning system (TPS), comparing measured and TPS modelled data, the QA of a linac's beam characteristics, and the establishment of a standard data set for comparison with other data, etcetera. Second, this parameterization model was used to develop a universal method to determine the radiation field size of flattened (FF), flattening-filter-free (FFF) and wedge beams which we termed the parameterized gradient method (PGM). Third, the parameterized model was also used to develop a profile-based method for assessing the beam quality of photon FF and FFF beams using an ionization chamber array. The PDD and PDD change was also predicted from the measured profile. Lastly, methods were created to automate the multileaf collimator (MLC) calibration and QA procedures as well as the acquisition of the parameters included in monthly and annual photon dosimetric QA. A two field technique was used for the calculation of the MLC leaf relative offsets using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). A step-and-shoot technique was used to accurately acquire the radiation field size, flatness, symmetry, output

HPV testing for primary cervical screening: Laboratory issues and evolving requirements for robust quality assurance.

PubMed

Carozzi, Francesca Maria; Del Mistro, Annarosa; Cuschieri, Kate; Frayle, Helena; Sani, Cristina; Burroni, Elena

2016-03-01

This review aims to highlight the importance of Quality Assurance for Laboratories performing HPV test for Cervical Cancer Screening. An HPV test, to be used as primary screening test, must be validated according to international criteria, based on comparison of its clinical accuracy to HC2 or GP5+/6+ PCR-EIA tests. The number of validated platforms is increasing and appropriate Quality Assurance Programs (QAPs) which can interrogate longitudinal robustness and quality are paramount. This document describes the following topics: (1) the characteristics of an HPV laboratory and the personnel training needs, to ensure an elevated quality of the entire process and the optimal use of the resources; (2) the Quality Assurance, as both internal (IQA) and external quality assessment (EQA) systems, to be implemented and performed, and the description of the existing EQAs, including limitations; (3) general considerations for an optimal EQA program for hrHPV primary screening Due to the importance of Quality Assurance for this field, international efforts are necessary to improve QA International Collaboration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Managing the Quality of Environmental Data in EPA Region 9

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA Pacific Southwest, Region 9's Quality Assurance (QA) section's primary mission is to effectively oversee and carry out the Quality System and Quality Management Plan, and project-level quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) activities.

Redesigning Radiotherapy Quality Assurance: Opportunities to Develop an Efficient, Evidence-Based System to Support Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Bekelman, Justin E.; Deye, James A.; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Bentzen, Soren M.; Bruner, Deborah; Curran, Walter J.; Dignam, James; Efstathiou, Jason A.; FitzGerald, T. J.; Hurkmans, Coen; Ibbott, Geoffrey S.; Lee, J. Jack; Merchant, Timothy E.; Michalski, Jeff; Palta, Jatinder R.; Simon, Richard; Ten Haken, Randal K.; Timmerman, Robert; Tunis, Sean; Coleman, C. Norman; Purdy, James

2012-01-01

Background In the context of national calls for reorganizing cancer clinical trials, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored a two day workshop to examine the challenges and opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) in clinical trial design. Methods Participants reviewed the current processes of clinical trial QA and noted the QA challenges presented by advanced technologies. Lessons learned from the radiotherapy QA programs of recent trials were discussed in detail. Four potential opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy QA were explored, including the use of normal tissue toxicity and tumor control metrics, biomarkers of radiation toxicity, new radiotherapy modalities like proton beam therapy, and the international harmonization of clinical trial QA. Results Four recommendations were made: 1) Develop a tiered (and more efficient) system for radiotherapy QA and tailor intensity of QA to clinical trial objectives. Tiers include (i) general credentialing, (ii) trial specific credentialing, and (iii) individual case review; 2) Establish a case QA repository; 3) Develop an evidence base for clinical trial QA and introduce innovative prospective trial designs to evaluate radiotherapy QA in clinical trials; and 4) Explore the feasibility of consolidating clinical trial QA in the United States. Conclusion Radiotherapy QA may impact clinical trial accrual, cost, outcomes and generalizability. To achieve maximum benefit, QA programs must become more efficient and evidence-based. PMID:22425219

Chemical Reactivity Testing for the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program. Quality Assurance Project Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newsom, H.C.

This quality assurance project plan (QAPjP) summarizes requirements used by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Incorporated (LMES) Development Division at Y-12 for conducting chemical reactivity testing of Department of Energy (DOE) owned spent nuclear fuel, sponsored by the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP). The requirements are based on the NSNFP Statement of Work PRO-007 (Statement of Work for Laboratory Determination of Uranium Hydride Oxidation Reaction Kinetics.) This QAPjP will utilize the quality assurance program at Y-12, QA-101PD, revision 1, and existing implementing procedures for the most part in meeting the NSNFP Statement of Work PRO-007 requirements, exceptions will be noted.

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water.

PubMed

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-03

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities.

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water

PubMed Central

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-01

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities. PMID:28054956

DICOM index tracker enterprise: advanced system for enterprise-wide quality assurance and patient safety monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min; Pavlicek, William; Panda, Anshuman; Langer, Steve G.; Morin, Richard; Fetterly, Kenneth A.; Paden, Robert; Hanson, James; Wu, Lin-Wei; Wu, Teresa

2015-03-01

DICOM Index Tracker (DIT) is an integrated platform to harvest rich information available from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) to improve quality assurance in radiology practices. It is designed to capture and maintain longitudinal patient-specific exam indices of interests for all diagnostic and procedural uses of imaging modalities. Thus, it effectively serves as a quality assurance and patient safety monitoring tool. The foundation of DIT is an intelligent database system which stores the information accepted and parsed via a DICOM receiver and parser. The database system enables the basic dosimetry analysis. The success of DIT implementation at Mayo Clinic Arizona calls for the DIT deployment at the enterprise level which requires significant improvements. First, for geographically distributed multi-site implementation, the first bottleneck is the communication (network) delay; the second is the scalability of the DICOM parser to handle the large volume of exams from different sites. To address this issue, DICOM receiver and parser are separated and decentralized by site. To facilitate the enterprise wide Quality Assurance (QA), a notable challenge is the great diversities of manufacturers, modalities and software versions, as the solution DIT Enterprise provides the standardization tool for device naming, protocol naming, physician naming across sites. Thirdly, advanced analytic engines are implemented online which support the proactive QA in DIT Enterprise.

Quality Assurance Through Quality Improvement and Professional Development in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

PubMed Central

Siegl, Elvira J.; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Khan, Kris; Harris, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) is the process of providing evidence that the outcome meets the established standards. Quality improvement (QI), by contrast, is the act of methodically developing ways to meet acceptable quality standards and evaluating current processes to improve overall performance. In the case of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), the desired outcome is the delivery of quality health care services to program clients. The NBCCEDP provides professional development to ensure that participating providers have current knowledge of evidence-based clinical standards regarding breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnosis and are monitoring women with abnormal screening results for timely follow-up. To assess the quality of clinical care provided to NBCCEDP clients, performance data are collected by NBCCEDP grantees and compared against predetermined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) benchmarks known as Data Quality Indicator Guides. In this article, the authors describe 1) the development and use of indicators for QI in the NBCCEDP and 2) the professional development activities implemented to improve clinical outcomes. QA identifies problems, whereas QI systematically corrects them. The quality of service delivery and improved patient outcomes among NBCCEDP grantees has enhanced significantly because of continuous monitoring of performance and professional development. By using QA, NBCCEDP grantees can maximize the quality of patient screening, diagnostic services, and follow-up. Examples of grantee activities to maintain quality of care are also described in this report. PMID:25099901

Summary of development and recommendations for a quality assurance program for the procurement and manufacture of urban mass transit operating equipment and systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witkin, S. A.

1976-01-01

A viable quality program for the urban mass transit industry, and a management approach to ensure compliance with the program are outlined. Included are: (1) a set of guidelines for quality assurance to be imposed on transit authorities, and a management approach to ensure compliance with them; (2) a management approach to be used by the transit authorities (properties) for assuring compliance with the QA guidelines; and (3) quality assurance guidelines to be imposed by properties and umta for procurement of hardware and systems.

Position paper: recommendations for a digital mammography quality assurance program V4.0.

PubMed

Heggie, J C P; Barnes, P; Cartwright, L; Diffey, J; Tse, J; Herley, J; McLean, I D; Thomson, F J; Grewal, R K; Collins, L T

2017-09-01

In 2001 the ACPSEM published a position paper on quality assurance in screen film mammography which was subsequently adopted as a basis for the quality assurance programs of both the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) and of BreastScreen Australia. Since then the clinical implementation of digital mammography has been realised and it has become evident that existing screen-film protocols were not appropriate to assure the required image quality needed for reliable diagnosis or to address the new dose implications resulting from digital technology. In addition, the advantages and responsibilities inherent in teleradiology are most critical in mammography and also need to be addressed. The current document is the result of a review of current overseas practice and local experience in these areas. At this time the technology of digital imaging is undergoing significant development and there is still a lack of full international consensus about some of the detailed quality control (QC) tests that should be included in quality assurance (QA) programs. This document describes the current status in digital mammography QA and recommends test procedures that may be suitable in the Australasian environment. For completeness, this document also includes a review of the QA programs required for the various types of digital biopsy units used in mammography. In the future, international harmonisation of digital quality assurance in mammography and changes in the technology may require a review of this document. Version 2.0 represented the first of these updates and key changes related to image quality evaluation, ghost image evaluation and interpretation of signal to noise ratio measurements. In Version 3.0 some significant changes, made in light of further experience gained in testing digital mammography equipment were introduced. In Version 4.0, further changes have been made, most notably digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) testing and QC have

40 CFR 98.164 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Hydrogen Production § 98.164 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. The GHG emissions data for hydrogen production process units must be quality-assured as specified in... Instrumental Determination of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen in Petroleum Products and Lubricants (incorporated...

Capturing, using, and managing quality assurance knowledge for shuttle post-MECO flight design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, H. L.; Fussell, L. R.; Goodwin, M. A.; Schultz, Roger D.

1991-01-01

Ascent initialization values used by the Shuttle's onboard computer for nominal and abort mission scenarios are verified by a six degrees of freedom computer simulation. The procedure that the Ascent Post Main Engine Cutoff (Post-MECO) group uses to perform quality assurance (QA) of the simulation is time consuming. Also, the QA data, checklists and associated rationale, though known by the group members, is not sufficiently documented, hindering transfer of knowledge and problem resolution. A new QA procedure which retains the current high level of integrity while reducing the time required to perform QA is needed to support the increasing Shuttle flight rate. Documenting the knowledge is also needed to increase its availability for training and problem resolution. To meet these needs, a knowledge capture process, embedded into the group activities, was initiated to verify the existing QA checks, define new ones, and document all rationale. The resulting checks were automated in a conventional software program to achieve the desired standardization, integrity, and time reduction. A prototype electronic knowledge base was developed with Macintosh's HyperCard to serve as a knowledge capture tool and data storage.

Quality Assurance and the Shift towards Private Governance in Higher Education: Europeanisation through the Back Door?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartmann, Eva

2017-01-01

This contribution focuses on quality assurance (QA) agencies in the sphere of higher education. It develops a theoretical framework that interrelates systems theory with Gramsci's theory of hegemony with a view to situating this new control of universities in the broader context of a further differentiation of society and emerging heterarchical…

TU-FG-201-04: Computer Vision in Autonomous Quality Assurance of Linear Accelerators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, H; Jenkins, C; Yu, S

Purpose: Routine quality assurance (QA) of linear accelerators represents a critical and costly element of a radiation oncology center. Recently, a system was developed to autonomously perform routine quality assurance on linear accelerators. The purpose of this work is to extend this system and contribute computer vision techniques for obtaining quantitative measurements for a monthly multi-leaf collimator (MLC) QA test specified by TG-142, namely leaf position accuracy, and demonstrate extensibility for additional routines. Methods: Grayscale images of a picket fence delivery on a radioluminescent phosphor coated phantom are captured using a CMOS camera. Collected images are processed to correct formore » camera distortions, rotation and alignment, reduce noise, and enhance contrast. The location of each MLC leaf is determined through logistic fitting and a priori modeling based on knowledge of the delivered beams. Using the data collected and the criteria from TG-142, a decision is made on whether or not the leaf position accuracy of the MLC passes or fails. Results: The locations of all MLC leaf edges are found for three different picket fence images in a picket fence routine to 0.1mm/1pixel precision. The program to correct for image alignment and determination of leaf positions requires a runtime of 21– 25 seconds for a single picket, and 44 – 46 seconds for a group of three pickets on a standard workstation CPU, 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7. Conclusion: MLC leaf edges were successfully found using techniques in computer vision. With the addition of computer vision techniques to the previously described autonomous QA system, the system is able to quickly perform complete QA routines with minimal human contribution.« less

Hot mix asphalt voids acceptance review of QC/QA data 2000 through 2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-01

This report analyzes the quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) data for hot mix asphalt (HMA) using : voids acceptance as the testing criteria awarded in the years 2000 through 2010. Analysis of the overall : performance of the projects is accomp...

Web-Based Quality Assurance Process Drives Improvements in Obstetric Ultrasound in 5 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

PubMed Central

Swanson, Jonathan O; Plotner, David; Franklin, Holly L; Swanson, David L; Lokomba Bolamba, Victor; Lokangaka, Adrien; Sayury Pineda, Irma; Figueroa, Lester; Garces, Ana; Muyodi, David; Esamai, Fabian; Kanaiza, Nancy; Mirza, Waseem; Naqvi, Farnaz; Saleem, Sarah; Mwenechanya, Musaku; Chiwila, Melody; Hamsumonde, Dorothy; McClure, Elizabeth M; Goldenberg, Robert L; Nathan, Robert O

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT High quality is important in medical imaging, yet in many geographic areas, highly skilled sonographers are in short supply. Advances in Internet capacity along with the development of reliable portable ultrasounds have created an opportunity to provide centralized remote quality assurance (QA) for ultrasound exams performed at rural sites worldwide. We sought to harness these advances by developing a web-based tool to facilitate QA activities for newly trained sonographers who were taking part in a cluster randomized trial investigating the role of limited obstetric ultrasound to improve pregnancy outcomes in 5 low- and middle-income countries. We were challenged by connectivity issues, by country-specific needs for website usability, and by the overall need for a high-throughput system. After systematically addressing these needs, the resulting QA website helped drive ultrasound quality improvement across all 5 countries. It now offers the potential for adoption by future ultrasound- or imaging-based global health initiatives. PMID:28031304

40 CFR 98.164 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Hydrogen Production § 98.164 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements. The GHG emissions data for hydrogen production process units must be quality-assured as specified in..., Hydrogen, and Nitrogen in Petroleum Products and Lubricants (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7). (xi...

QUALITY ASSURANCE STUDY OF MARINE LIPID CLASS DETERMINATION USING CHROMAROD/IATROSCAN( REG. TRADEMARK) THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY-FLAME IONIZATION DETECTOR

EPA Science Inventory

An Iatroscan thin-layer chromatorgraphy-flame ionization detector has been utilized to quantify lipid classes in marine samples. This method was evaluated relative to established quality assurance (QA) procedures used for the gas chromatographic analysis of PCBs. A method for ext...

Diabetes care may be improved with Steno Quality Assurance Tool--a self-assessment tool in diabetes management.

PubMed

Bjerre-Christensen, Ulla; Nielsen, Annemette Anker; Binder, Christian; Hansen, Jes B; Eldrup, Ebbe

2014-08-01

To evaluate if improvements in the quality of diabetes care in Indian clinics can be obtained by simple self-surveillance PC-based software. Nineteen Indian diabetes clinics were introduced to the principles of quality assurance (QA), and to a software program, the Steno Quality Assurance Tool (SQAT). Data was entered for an initial 3 months period. Subsequently data were analyzed by the users, who designed plans to improve indicator status and set goals for the upcoming period. A second data entry period followed after 7-9 months. QA data was analyzed from 4487 T2DM patients (baseline) and 4440 (follow-up). The average examination frequency per clinic of the following indicators increased significantly: lipid examination (72-87%) (p=0.007), foot examination (80-94%) (p=0.02), HbA1c investigation (59-77%) (p=0.006), and urine albumin excretion investigation (72-87%) (p=0.006). Outcome parameters also improved significantly: mean (SD) fasting and post prandial BG reduced from 144(16) to 132(16)mg/dl (p=0.02) and 212(24)-195(29)mg/dl (p=0.03), respectively. Systolic BP reduced from 139(6) to 133(4) (p=0.0008)mmHg and diastolic BP from 83(3) to 81(3)mmHg (p=0.002). Quality of diabetes care can be improved by applying SQAT, a QA self-surveillance software that enables documentation of changes in process and outcome indicators. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality assurance in gerontological and geriatric training programs: the European case.

PubMed

Politynska, Barbara; van Rijsselt, René J T; Lewko, Jolanta; Philp, Ian; Figueiredo, Daniella; De Sousa, Lilliana

2012-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) in gerontological and geriatric education programs is regarded as essential to maintain standards, strengthen accountability, improve readability of qualifications, and facilitate professional mobility. In this article the authors present a summary of international developments in QA and elaborate four international trends, including the pros and cons of QA. Furthermore, the authors focus on accreditation and credit transfer opportunities in vocational and academic education programs for primary care practitioners, including nurses, home care workers, social workers, physiotherapists, and family doctors involved in the care of older people in nine European countries and highlight changes that have occurred over the last decade. Vocational education and professional training in elderly care at the basic and postgraduate specialization level remains extremely diversified, reflecting the lack of standardization for programs outside the higher education sector. The situation is ripe for the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework, which is intended to promote transparency, comparability and portability of qualifications at different levels and the introduction of a credit transfer system for vocational education to be established in 2012.

Smartphone application for mechanical quality assurance of medical linear accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hwiyoung; Lee, Hyunseok; In Park, Jong; Choi, Chang Heon; Park, So-Yeon; Kim, Hee Jung; Kim, Young Suk; Ye, Sung-Joon

2017-06-01

Mechanical quality assurance (QA) of medical linear accelerators consists of time-consuming and human-error-prone procedures. We developed a smartphone application system for mechanical QA. The system consists of two smartphones: one attached to a gantry for obtaining real-time information on the mechanical parameters of the medical linear accelerator, and another displaying real-time information via a Bluetooth connection with the former. Motion sensors embedded in the smartphone were used to measure gantry and collimator rotations. Images taken by the smartphone’s high-resolution camera were processed to evaluate accuracies of jaw-positioning, crosshair centering and source-to-surface distance (SSD). The application was developed using Android software development kit and OpenCV library. The accuracy and precision of the system was validated against an optical rotation stage and digital calipers, prior to routine QA measurements of five medical linear accelerators. The system accuracy and precision in measuring angles and lengths were determined to be 0.05  ±  0.05° and 0.25  ±  0.14 mm, respectively. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) in QA measurements of gantry and collimator rotation were 0.05  ±  0.04° and 0.05  ±  0.04°, respectively. The MAE in QA measurements of light field was 0.39  ±  0.36 mm. The MAEs in QA measurements of crosshair centering and SSD were 0.40  ±  0.35 mm and 0.41  ±  0.32 mm, respectively. In conclusion, most routine mechanical QA procedures could be performed using the smartphone application system with improved precision and within a shorter time-frame, while eliminating potential human errors.

Smartphone application for mechanical quality assurance of medical linear accelerators.

PubMed

Kim, Hwiyoung; Lee, Hyunseok; Park, Jong In; Choi, Chang Heon; Park, So-Yeon; Kim, Hee Jung; Kim, Young Suk; Ye, Sung-Joon

2017-06-07

Mechanical quality assurance (QA) of medical linear accelerators consists of time-consuming and human-error-prone procedures. We developed a smartphone application system for mechanical QA. The system consists of two smartphones: one attached to a gantry for obtaining real-time information on the mechanical parameters of the medical linear accelerator, and another displaying real-time information via a Bluetooth connection with the former. Motion sensors embedded in the smartphone were used to measure gantry and collimator rotations. Images taken by the smartphone's high-resolution camera were processed to evaluate accuracies of jaw-positioning, crosshair centering and source-to-surface distance (SSD). The application was developed using Android software development kit and OpenCV library. The accuracy and precision of the system was validated against an optical rotation stage and digital calipers, prior to routine QA measurements of five medical linear accelerators. The system accuracy and precision in measuring angles and lengths were determined to be 0.05  ±  0.05° and 0.25  ±  0.14 mm, respectively. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) in QA measurements of gantry and collimator rotation were 0.05  ±  0.04° and 0.05  ±  0.04°, respectively. The MAE in QA measurements of light field was 0.39  ±  0.36 mm. The MAEs in QA measurements of crosshair centering and SSD were 0.40  ±  0.35 mm and 0.41  ±  0.32 mm, respectively. In conclusion, most routine mechanical QA procedures could be performed using the smartphone application system with improved precision and within a shorter time-frame, while eliminating potential human errors.

Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance Provisions for the Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology Centers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This Handbook establishes general safety, reliability, and quality assurance (SR&QA) guidelines for use on flight and ground-based projects conducted at the Ames, Langley, and Lewis Research Centers, hereafter identified as the Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology (OAET) Centers. This document is applicable to all projects and operations conducted at these Centers except for those projects covered by more restrictive provisions such as the Space Shuttle, Space Station, and unmanned spacecraft programs. This Handbook is divided into two parts. The first (Chapters 1 and 2) establishes the SR&QA guidelines applicable to the OAET Centers, and the second (Appendices A, B, C, and D) provides examples and definitions for the total SR&QA program. Each center should implement SR&QA programs using these guidelines with tailoring appropriate to the special projects conducted by each Center. This Handbook is issued in loose-leaf form and will be revised by page changes.

Transforming an EPA QA/R-2 quality management plan into an ISO 9002 quality management system.

PubMed

Kell, R A; Hedin, C M; Kassakhian, G H; Reynolds, E S

2001-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) requires environmental data of known quality to support Superfund hazardous waste site projects. The Quality Assurance Technical Support (QATS) Program is operated by Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure, Inc. to provide EPA's Analytical Operations Center (AOC) with performance evaluation samples, reference materials, on-site laboratory auditing capabilities, data audits (including electronic media data audits), methods development, and other support services. The new QATS contract awarded in November 2000 required that the QATS Program become ISO 9000 certified. In a first for an EPA contractor, the QATS staff and management successfully transformed EPA's QA/R-2 type Quality Management Plan into a Quality Management System (QMS) that complies with the requirements of the internationally recognized ISO 9002 standard and achieved certification in the United States, Canada, and throughout Europe. The presentation describes how quality system elements of ISO 9002 were implemented on an already existing quality system. The psychological and organizational challenges of the culture change in QATS' day-to-day operations will be discussed for the benefit of other ISO 9000 aspirants.

SU-E-T-649: Quality Assurances for Proton Therapy Delivery Equipment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arjomandy, B; Kase, Y; Flanz, J

2015-06-15

Purpose: The number of proton therapy centers has increased dramatically over the past decade. Currently, there is no comprehensive set of guidelines that addresses quality assurance (QA) procedures for the different technologies used for proton therapy. The AAPM has charged task group 224 (TG-224) to provide recommendations for QA required for accurate and safe dose delivery, using existing and next generation proton therapy delivery equipment. Methods: A database comprised of QA procedures and tolerance limits was generated from many existing proton therapy centers in and outside of the US. These consist of proton therapy centers that possessed double scattering, uniformmore » scanning, and pencil beams delivery systems. The diversity in beam delivery systems as well as the existing devices to perform QA checks for different beam parameters is the main subject of TG-224. Based on current practice at the clinically active proton centers participating in this task group, consensus QA recommendations were developed. The methodologies and requirements of the parameters that must be verified for consistency of the performance of the proton beam delivery systems are discussed. Results: TG-224 provides procedures and QA checks for mechanical, imaging, safety and dosimetry requirements for different proton equipment. These procedures are categorized based on their importance and their required frequencies in order to deliver a safe and consistent dose. The task group provides daily, weekly, monthly, and annual QA check procedures with their tolerance limits. Conclusions: The procedures outlined in this protocol provide sufficient information to qualified medical physicists to perform QA checks for any proton delivery system. Execution of these procedures should provide confidence that proton therapy equipment is functioning as commissioned for patient treatment and delivers dose safely and accurately within the established tolerance limits. The report will be published

SU-E-T-627: Failure Modes and Effect Analysis for Monthly Quality Assurance of Linear Accelerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, J; Xiao, Y; Wang, J

2014-06-15

Purpose: To develop and implement a failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) on routine monthly Quality Assurance (QA) tests (physical tests part) of linear accelerator. Methods: A systematic failure mode and effect analysis method was performed for monthly QA procedures. A detailed process tree of monthly QA was created and potential failure modes were defined. Each failure mode may have many influencing factors. For each factor, a risk probability number (RPN) was calculated from the product of probability of occurrence (O), the severity of effect (S), and detectability of the failure (D). The RPN scores are in a range ofmore » 1 to 1000, with higher scores indicating stronger correlation to a given influencing factor of a failure mode. Five medical physicists in our institution were responsible to discuss and to define the O, S, D values. Results: 15 possible failure modes were identified and all RPN scores of all influencing factors of these 15 failue modes were from 8 to 150, and the checklist of FMEA in monthly QA was drawn. The system showed consistent and accurate response to erroneous conditions. Conclusion: The influencing factors of RPN greater than 50 were considered as highly-correlated factors of a certain out-oftolerance monthly QA test. FMEA is a fast and flexible tool to develop an implement a quality management (QM) frame work of monthly QA, which improved the QA efficiency of our QA team. The FMEA work may incorporate more quantification and monitoring fuctions in future.« less

Investigations of a flat-panel detector for quality assurance measurements in ion beam therapy.

PubMed

Hartmann, Bernadette; Telsemeyer, Julia; Huber, Lucas; Ackermann, Benjamin; Jäkel, Oliver; Martišíková, Mária

2012-01-07

Increased accuracy in radiation delivery to a patient provided by scanning particle beams leads to high demands on quality assurance (QA). To meet the requirements, an extensive quality assurance programme has been implemented at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center. Currently, high-resolution radiographic films are used for beam spot position measurements and homogeneity measurements for scanned fields. However, given that using this film type is time and equipment demanding, considerations have been made to replace the radiographic films in QA by another appropriate device. In this study, the suitability of the flat-panel detector RID 256 L based on amorphous silicon was investigated as an alternative method. The currently used radiographic films were taken as a reference. Investigations were carried out for proton and carbon ion beams. The detectors were irradiated simultaneously to allow for a direct comparison. The beam parameters (e.g. energy, focus, position) currently used in the daily QA procedures were applied. Evaluation of the measurements was performed using newly implemented automatic routines. The results for the flat-panel detector were compared to the standard radiographic films. Additionally, a field with intentionally decreased homogeneity was applied to test the detector's sensitivities toward possible incorrect scan parameters. For the beam position analyses, the flat-panel detector results showed good agreement with radiographic films. For both detector types, deviations between measured and planned spot distances were found to be below 1% (1 mm). In homogeneously irradiated fields, the flat-panel detector showed a better dose response homogeneity than the currently used radiographic film. Furthermore, the flat-panel detector is sensitive to field irregularities. The flat-panel detector was found to be an adequate replacement for the radiographic film in QA measurements. In addition, it saves time and equipment because no post

Evaluation of surface resistivity measurements as an alternative to the rapid chloride permeability test for quality assurance and acceptance : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-01

This project investigated the use of a surface resistivity device as an indication of concretes ability to resist chloride ion penetration for use in quality assurance (QA) and acceptance of high performance concrete (HPC). : The objectives of thi...

Statistical process control analysis for patient-specific IMRT and VMAT QA.

PubMed

Sanghangthum, Taweap; Suriyapee, Sivalee; Srisatit, Somyot; Pawlicki, Todd

2013-05-01

This work applied statistical process control to establish the control limits of the % gamma pass of patient-specific intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) quality assurance (QA), and to evaluate the efficiency of the QA process by using the process capability index (Cpml). A total of 278 IMRT QA plans in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were measured with MapCHECK, while 159 VMAT QA plans were undertaken with ArcCHECK. Six megavolts with nine fields were used for the IMRT plan and 2.5 arcs were used to generate the VMAT plans. The gamma (3%/3 mm) criteria were used to evaluate the QA plans. The % gamma passes were plotted on a control chart. The first 50 data points were employed to calculate the control limits. The Cpml was calculated to evaluate the capability of the IMRT/VMAT QA process. The results showed higher systematic errors in IMRT QA than VMAT QA due to the more complicated setup used in IMRT QA. The variation of random errors was also larger in IMRT QA than VMAT QA because the VMAT plan has more continuity of dose distribution. The average % gamma pass was 93.7% ± 3.7% for IMRT and 96.7% ± 2.2% for VMAT. The Cpml value of IMRT QA was 1.60 and VMAT QA was 1.99, which implied that the VMAT QA process was more accurate than the IMRT QA process. Our lower control limit for % gamma pass of IMRT is 85.0%, while the limit for VMAT is 90%. Both the IMRT and VMAT QA processes are good quality because Cpml values are higher than 1.0.

Underground Test Area Activity Quality Assurance Plan Nevada National Security Site, Nevada. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farnham, Irene; Krenzien, Susan

This Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) provides the overall quality assurance (QA) requirements and general quality practices to be applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) activities. The requirements in this QAP are consistent with DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance (DOE, 2005); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling (EPA, 2002); and EPA Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models (EPA, 2009). NNSA/NSO, or designee, must review this QAP every two years. Changes that do not affect the overallmore » scope or requirements will not require an immediate QAP revision but will be incorporated into the next revision cycle after identification. Section 1.0 describes UGTA objectives, participant responsibilities, and administrative and management quality requirements (i.e., training, records, procurement). Section 1.0 also details data management and computer software requirements. Section 2.0 establishes the requirements to ensure newly collected data are valid, existing data uses are appropriate, and environmental-modeling methods are reliable. Section 3.0 provides feedback loops through assessments and reports to management. Section 4.0 provides the framework for corrective actions. Section 5.0 provides references for this document.« less

The use of photostimulable phosphor systems for periodic quality assurance in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Conte, L; Bianchi, C; Cassani, E; Monciardini, M; Mordacchini, C; Novario, R; Strocchi, S; Stucchi, P; Tanzi, F

2008-03-01

The fusion of radiological and optical images can be achieved through charging a photostimulable phosphor plate (PSP) with an exposure to a field of X- or gamma-rays, followed by exposure to an optical image which discharges the plate in relation to the amount of incident light. According to this PSP characteristic, we developed a simple method for periodic quality assurance (QA) of light/radiation field coincidence, distance indicator, field size indicators, crosshair centering, coincidence of radiation and mechanical isocenter for linear accelerators. The geometrical accuracy of radiological units can be subjected to the same QA method. Further, the source position accuracy for an HDR remote afterloader can be checked by taking an autoradiography of the radioactive source and simultaneously an optical image of a reference geometrical system.

Quality Assurance in Biobanking for Pre-Clinical Research

PubMed Central

Simeon-Dubach, Daniel; Zeisberger, Steffen M.; Hoerstrup, Simon P.

2016-01-01

It is estimated that not less than USD 28 billion are spent each year in the USA alone on irreproducible pre-clinical research, which is not only a fundamental loss of investment and resources but also a strong inhibitor of efficiency for upstream processes regarding the translation towards clinical applications and therapies. The issues and cost of irreproducibility has mainly been published on pre-clinical research. In contrast to pre-clinical research, test material is often being transferred into humans in clinical research. To protect treated human subjects and guarantee a defined quality standard in the field of clinical research, the manufacturing and processing infrastructures have to strictly follow and adhere to certain (inter-)national quality standards. It is assumed and suggested by the authors that by an implementation of certain quality standards within the area of pre-clinical research, billions of USD might be saved and the translation phase of promising pre-clinical results towards clinical applications may substantially be improved. In this review, we discuss how an implementation of a quality assurance (QA) management system might positively improve sample quality and sustainability within pre-clinically focused biobank infrastructures. Biobanks are frequently positioned at the very beginning of the biomedical research value chain, and, since almost every research material has been stored in a biobank during the investigated life cycle, biobanking seems to be of substantial importance from this perspective. The role model of a QA-regulated biobank structure can be found in biobanks within the context of clinical research organizations such as in regenerative medicine clusters. PMID:27781023

College Quality Assurance Assurances. Mendip Papers 020.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sallis, E.; Hingley, P.

This paper discusses the increasing interest in quality assurance in British education including its measurement and management through the introduction of a quality assurance system. The reasons and benefits of beginning a quality assurance system are discussed, and questions of what constitutes quality, whether it is quality in fact…

Hanford meteorological station computer codes: Volume 9, The quality assurance computer codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burk, K.W.; Andrews, G.L.

1989-02-01

The Hanford Meteorological Station (HMS) was established in 1944 on the Hanford Site to collect and archive meteorological data and provide weather forecasts and related services for Hanford Site approximately 1/2 mile east of the 200 West Area and is operated by PNL for the US Department of Energy. Meteorological data are collected from various sensors and equipment located on and off the Hanford Site. These data are stored in data bases on the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX 11/750 at the HMS (hereafter referred to as the HMS computer). Files from those data bases are routinely transferred to themore » Emergency Management System (EMS) computer at the Unified Dose Assessment Center (UDAC). To ensure the quality and integrity of the HMS data, a set of Quality Assurance (QA) computer codes has been written. The codes will be routinely used by the HMS system manager or the data base custodian. The QA codes provide detailed output files that will be used in correcting erroneous data. The following sections in this volume describe the implementation and operation of QA computer codes. The appendices contain detailed descriptions, flow charts, and source code listings of each computer code. 2 refs.« less

A scenario for a web-based radiation treatment planning structure: A new tool for quality assurance procedure?

PubMed

Kouloulias, V E; Ntasis, E; Poortmans, Ph; Maniatis, T A; Nikita, K S

2003-01-01

The desire to develop web-based platforms for remote collaboration among physicians and technologists is becoming a great challenge. In this paper we describe a web-based radiotherapy treatment planning (WBRTP) system to facilitate decentralized radiotherapy services by allowing remote treatment planning and quality assurance (QA) of treatment delivery. Significant prerequisites are digital storage of relevant data as well as efficient and reliable telecommunication system between collaborating units. The system of WBRTP includes video conferencing, display of medical images (CT scans, dose distributions etc), replication of selected data from a common database, remote treatment planning, evaluation of treatment technique and follow-up of the treated patients. Moreover the system features real-time remote operations in terms of tele-consulting like target volume delineation performed by a team of experts at different and distant units. An appraisal of its possibilities in quality assurance in radiotherapy is also discussed. As a conclusion, a WBRTP system would not only be a medium for communication between experts in oncology but mainly a tool for improving the QA in radiotherapy.

Daily quality assurance phantom for ultrasound image guided radiation therapy

PubMed Central

Drever, Laura

2007-01-01

A simple phantom was designed, constructed, tested, and clinically implemented for daily quality assurance (QA) of an ultrasound‐image‐guided radiation therapy (US‐IGRT) system, the Restitu Ultrasound system (Resonant Medical, Montreal, QC). The phantom consists of a high signal echogenic background gel surrounding a low signal hypoechoic egg‐shaped target. Daily QA checks involve ultrasound imaging of the phantom and segmenting of the embedded target using the automated tools available on the US‐IGRT system. This process serves to confirm system hardware and software functions and, in particular, accurate determination of the target position. Experiments were conducted to test the stability of the phantom at room temperature, its tissue‐mimicking properties, the reproducibility of target position measurements, and the usefulness of the phantom as a daily QA device. The phantom proved stable at room temperature, exhibited no evidence of bacterial or fungal invasion in 9 months, and showed limited desiccation (resulting in a monthly reduction in ultrasound‐measured volume of approximately 0.2 cm3). Furthermore, the phantom was shown to be nearly tissue‐mimicking, with speed of sound in the phantom estimated to be 0.8% higher than that assumed by the scanner calibration. The phantom performs well in a clinical setting, owing to its light weight and ease of operation. It provides reproducible measures of target position even with multiple users. At our center, the phantom is being used for daily QA of the US‐IGRT system with clinically acceptable tolerances of ±1 cm3 on target volume and ±2 mm on target position. For routine daily QA, this phantom is a good alternative to the manufacturer‐supplied calibration phantom, and we recommended that that larger phantom be reserved for less frequent, more detailed QA checks and system calibration. PACS numbers: 87.66.Xa, 87.63.Df

Practical use of a plastic scintillator for quality assurance of electron beam therapy.

PubMed

Yogo, Katsunori; Tatsuno, Yuya; Tsuneda, Masato; Aono, Yuki; Mochizuki, Daiki; Fujisawa, Yoshiki; Matsushita, Akihiro; Ishigami, Minoru; Ishiyama, Hiromichi; Hayakawa, Kazushige

2017-06-07

Quality assurance (QA) of clinical electron beams is essential for performing accurate and safe radiation therapy. However, with advances in radiation therapy, QA has become increasingly labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a tissue-equivalent plastic scintillator for quick and easy QA of clinical electron beams. The proposed tool comprises a plastic scintillator plate and a charge-coupled device camera that enable the scintillation light by electron beams to be recorded with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Further, the Cerenkov image is directly subtracted from the scintillation image to discriminate Cerenkov emissions and accurately measure the dose profiles of electron beams with high spatial resolution. Compared with conventional methods, discrepancies in the depth profile improved from 7% to 2% in the buildup region via subtractive corrections. Further, the output brightness showed good linearity with dose, good reproducibility (deviations below 1%), and dose rate independence (within 0.5%). The depth of 50% dose measured with the tool, an index of electron beam quality, was within  ±0.5 mm of that obtained with an ionization chamber. Lateral brightness profiles agreed with the lateral dose profiles to within 4% and no significant improvement was obtained using Cerenkov corrections. Field size agreed to within 0.5 mm with those obtained with ionization chamber. For clinical QA of electron boost treatment, a disk scintillator that mimics the shape of a patient's breast is applied. The brightness distribution and dose, calculated using a treatment planning system, was generally acceptable for clinical use, except in limited zones. Overall, the proposed plastic scintillator plate tool efficiently performs QA for electron beam therapy and enables simultaneous verification of output constancy, beam quality, depth, and lateral dose profiles during monthly QAs at lower doses of irradiation (small monitor units, MUs).

A reference standard-based quality assurance program for radiology.

PubMed

Liu, Patrick T; Johnson, C Daniel; Miranda, Rafael; Patel, Maitray D; Phillips, Carrie J

2010-01-01

The authors have developed a comprehensive radiology quality assurance (QA) program that evaluates radiology interpretations and procedures by comparing them with reference standards. Performance metrics are calculated and then compared with benchmarks or goals on the basis of published multicenter data and meta-analyses. Additional workload for physicians is kept to a minimum by having trained allied health staff members perform the comparisons of radiology reports with the reference standards. The performance metrics tracked by the QA program include the accuracy of CT colonography for detecting polyps, the false-negative rate for mammographic detection of breast cancer, the accuracy of CT angiography detection of coronary artery stenosis, the accuracy of meniscal tear detection on MRI, the accuracy of carotid artery stenosis detection on MR angiography, the accuracy of parathyroid adenoma detection by parathyroid scintigraphy, the success rate for obtaining cortical tissue on ultrasound-guided core biopsies of pelvic renal transplants, and the technical success rate for peripheral arterial angioplasty procedures. In contrast with peer-review programs, this reference standard-based QA program minimizes the possibilities of reviewer bias and erroneous second reviewer interpretations. The more objective assessment of performance afforded by the QA program will provide data that can easily be used for education and management conferences, research projects, and multicenter evaluations. Additionally, such performance data could be used by radiology departments to demonstrate their value over nonradiology competitors to referring clinicians, hospitals, patients, and third-party payers. Copyright 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating Microscopic Analysis into Existing Quality Assurance Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frühberger, Peter; Stephan, Thomas; Beyerer, Jürgen

When technical goods, like mainboards and other electronic components, are produced, quality assurance (QA) is very important. To achieve this goal, different optical microscopes can be used to analyze a variety of specimen to gain comprehensive information by combining the acquired sensor data. In many industrial processes, cameras are used to examine these technical goods. Those cameras can analyze complete boards at once and offer a high level of accuracy when used for completeness checks. When small defects, e.g. soldered points, need to be examined in detail, those wide area cameras are limited. Microscopes with large magnification need to be used to analyze those critical areas. But microscopes alone cannot fulfill this task within a limited time schedule, because microscopic analysis of complete motherboards of a certain size is time demanding. Microscopes are limited concerning their depth of field and depth of focus, which is why additional components like XY moving tables need to be used to examine the complete surface. Yet today's industrial production quality standards require a 100 % control of the soldered components within a given time schedule. This level of quality, while keeping inspection time low, can only be achieved when combining multiple inspection devices in an optimized manner. This paper presents results and methods of combining industrial cameras with microscopy instrumenting a classificatory based approach intending to keep already deployed QA processes in place but extending them with the purpose of increasing the quality level of the produced technical goods while maintaining high throughput.

Analysis of the sources of uncertainty for EDR2 film‐based IMRT quality assurance

PubMed Central

Shi, Chengyu; Papanikolaou, Nikos; Yan, Yulong; Weng, Xuejun; Jiang, gyu

2006-01-01

In our institution, patient‐specific quality assurance (QA) for intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is usually performed by measuring the dose to a point using an ion chamber and by measuring the dose to a plane using film. In order to perform absolute dose comparison measurements using film, an accurate calibration curve should be used. In this paper, we investigate the film response curve uncertainty factors, including film batch differences, film processor temperature effect, film digitization, and treatment unit. In addition, we reviewed 50 patient‐specific IMRT QA procedures performed in our institution in order to quantify the sources of error in film‐based dosimetry. Our study showed that the EDR2 film dosimetry can be done with less than 3% uncertainty. The EDR2 film response was not affected by the choice of treatment unit provided the nominal energy was the same. This investigation of the different sources of uncertainties in the film calibration procedure can provide a better understanding of the film‐based dosimetry and can improve quality control for IMRT QA. PACS numbers: 87.86.Cd, 87.53.Xd, 87.57.Nk PMID:17533329

TH-A-BRC-00: New Task Groups for External Beam QA: An Overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2016-06-15

AAPM TG-135U1 QA for Robotic Radiosurgery - Sonja Dieterich Since the publication of AAPM TG-135 in 2011, the technology of robotic radiosurgery has rapidly developed. AAPM TG-135U1 will provide recommendations on the clinical practice for using the IRIS collimator, fiducial-less real-time motion tracking, and Monte Carlo based treatment planning. In addition, it will summarize currently available literature about uncertainties. Learning Objectives: Understand the progression of technology since the first TG publication Learn which new QA procedures should be implemented for new technologies Be familiar with updates to clinical practice guidelines AAPM TG-178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance -more » Steven Goetsch Purpose: AAPM Task Group 178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance was formed in August, 2008. The Task Group has 12 medical physicists, two physicians and two consultants. Methods: A round robin dosimetry intercomparison of proposed ionization chambers, electrometer and dosimetry phantoms was conducted over a 15 month period in 2011 and 2012 (Med Phys 42, 11, Nov, 2015). The data obtained at 9 institutions (with ten different Elekta Gamma Knife units) was analyzed by the lead author using several protocols. Results: The most consistent results were obtained using the Elekta ABS 16cm diameter phantom, with the TG-51 protocol modified as recommended by Alfonso et al (Med Phys 35, 11, Nov 2008). A key white paper (Med Phys, in press) sponsored by Elekta Corporation, was used to obtain correction factors for the ionization chambers and phantoms used in this intercomparison. Consistent results were obtained for both Elekta Gamma Knife Model 4C and Gamma Knife Perfexion units as measured with each of two miniature ionization chambers. Conclusion: The full report gives clinical history and background of gamma stereotactic radiosurgery, clinical examples and history, quality assurance recommendations and

TH-A-BRC-01: AAPM TG-135U1 QA for Robotic Radiosurgery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dieterich, S.

AAPM TG-135U1 QA for Robotic Radiosurgery - Sonja Dieterich Since the publication of AAPM TG-135 in 2011, the technology of robotic radiosurgery has rapidly developed. AAPM TG-135U1 will provide recommendations on the clinical practice for using the IRIS collimator, fiducial-less real-time motion tracking, and Monte Carlo based treatment planning. In addition, it will summarize currently available literature about uncertainties. Learning Objectives: Understand the progression of technology since the first TG publication Learn which new QA procedures should be implemented for new technologies Be familiar with updates to clinical practice guidelines AAPM TG-178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance -more » Steven Goetsch Purpose: AAPM Task Group 178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance was formed in August, 2008. The Task Group has 12 medical physicists, two physicians and two consultants. Methods: A round robin dosimetry intercomparison of proposed ionization chambers, electrometer and dosimetry phantoms was conducted over a 15 month period in 2011 and 2012 (Med Phys 42, 11, Nov, 2015). The data obtained at 9 institutions (with ten different Elekta Gamma Knife units) was analyzed by the lead author using several protocols. Results: The most consistent results were obtained using the Elekta ABS 16cm diameter phantom, with the TG-51 protocol modified as recommended by Alfonso et al (Med Phys 35, 11, Nov 2008). A key white paper (Med Phys, in press) sponsored by Elekta Corporation, was used to obtain correction factors for the ionization chambers and phantoms used in this intercomparison. Consistent results were obtained for both Elekta Gamma Knife Model 4C and Gamma Knife Perfexion units as measured with each of two miniature ionization chambers. Conclusion: The full report gives clinical history and background of gamma stereotactic radiosurgery, clinical examples and history, quality assurance recommendations and

Agar-Silica-Gel Heating Phantom May Be Suitable for Long-Term Quality Assurance of MRgHIFU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partanen, Ari

2009-04-01

In MRgHIFU, the purpose of frequent quality assurance is to detect changes in system performance to prevent adverse effects during treatments. Due to high ultrasound intensities in MRgHIFU, it is essential to assure that the procedure is safe and efficacious and that image-based guidance of the treatment is reliable. We aimed to develop a guideline for MRgHIFU QA by acquiring MR temperature maps during ultrasonic heating of an agar-silica-gel phantom over a four month-period using three separate MRgHIFU uterine leiomyoma treatment systems. From this data, the stability of the maximum temperature elevation, the targeting accuracy, and the dimensions of the heated volume were analyzed. Additionally, we studied the sensitivity of these parameters to reveal hypothetical decrease in HIFU performance. After calibration, the mean targeting offsets of the heated volume were observed to be less than 2 mm in the three orthogonal directions. The measured maximum temperature elevation and the length and the width of the heated volume remained consistent throughout the four-month period. Furthermore, it was found that the parameters under investigation were sensitive to reveal the decreased HIFU performance. We conclude that an agar-silica -based phantom is suitable for targeting accuracy and heating properties QA of MRgHIFU system even in long-term use. Moreover, this simple QA method may be used to reveal small changes in HIFU performance assuring consistent functionality and safety of the MRgHIFU system.

Quality-Assurance/Quality-Control Manual for Collection and Analysis of Water-Quality Data in the Ohio District, US Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Francy, D.S.; Jones, A.L.; Myers, Donna N.; Rowe, G.L.; Eberle, Michael; Sarver, K.M.

1998-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division (WRD), requires that quality-assurance/quality-control (QA/QC) activities be included in any sampling and analysis program. Operational QA/QC procedures address local needs while incorporating national policies. Therefore, specific technical policies were established for all activities associated with water-quality project being done by the Ohio District. The policies described in this report provide Ohio District personnel, cooperating agencies, and others with a reference manual on QA/QC procedures that are followed in collecitng and analyzing water-quality samples and reporting water-quality information in the Ohio District. The project chief, project support staff, District Water-Quality Specialist, and District Laboratory Coordinator are all involved in planning and implementing QA/QC activities at the district level. The District Chief and other district-level managers provide oversight, and the Regional Water-Quality Specialist, Office of Water Quality (USGS headquarters), and the Branch of Quality Systems within the Office of Water Quality create national QA/QC polices and provide assistance to District personnel. In the literature, the quality of all measurement data is expressed in terms of precision, variability, bias, accuracy, completeness, representativeness, and comparability. In the Ohio District, bias and variability will be used to describe quality-control data generated from samples in the field and laboratory. Each project chief must plan for implementation and financing of QA/QC activities necessary to achieve data-quality objectives. At least 15 percent of the total project effort must be directed toward QA/QC activities. Of this total, 5-10 percent will be used for collection and analysis of quality-control samples. This is an absolute minimum, and more may be required based on project objectives. Proper techniques must be followed in the collection and processing of surface

Multinational Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinser, Kevin

2011-01-01

Multinational colleges and universities pose numerous challenges to the traditional models of quality assurance that are designed to validate domestic higher education. When institutions cross international borders, at least two quality assurance protocols are involved. To guard against fraud and abuse, quality assurance in the host country is…

Quality Assurance Results for a Commercial Radiosurgery System: A Communication.

PubMed

Ruschin, Mark; Lightstone, Alexander; Beachey, David; Wronski, Matt; Babic, Steven; Yeboah, Collins; Lee, Young; Soliman, Hany; Sahgal, Arjun

2015-10-01

The purpose of this communication is to inform the radiosurgery community of quality assurance (QA) results requiring attention in a commercial FDA-approved linac-based cone stereo-tactic radiosurgery (SRS) system. Standard published QA guidelines as per the American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM) were followed during the SRS system's commissioning process including end-to-end testing, cone concentricity testing, image transfer verification, and documentation. Several software and hardware deficiencies that were deemed risky were uncovered during the process and QA processes were put in place to mitigate these risks during clinical practice. In particular, the present work focuses on daily cone concentricity testing and commissioning-related findings associated with the software. Cone concentricity/alignment is measured daily using both optical light field inspection, as well as quantitative radiation field tests with the electronic portal imager. In 10 out of 36 clini-cal treatments, adjustments to the cone position had to be made to align the cone with the collimator axis to less than 0.5 mm and on two occasions the pre-adjustment measured offset was 1.0 mm. Software-related errors discovered during commissioning included incorrect transfer of the isocentre in DICOM coordinates, improper handling of non-axial image sets, and complex handling of beam data, especially for multi-target treatments. QA processes were established to mitigate the occurrence of the software errors. With proper QA processes, the reported SRS system complies with tolerances set out in established guidelines. Discussions with the vendor are ongoing to address some of the hardware issues related to cone alignment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Quality assurance in an adult intensive care unit, Eastern region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Iqbal, Mobeen; Rehmani, Rifat; Venter, Joan; Alaithan, Abdulsalam M

2007-03-01

Quality assurance (QA) is an increasingly important element in the administrative management of Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This is not only to improve clinical practices and patient's outcome, but also helps in proper resource utilization. We introduced a comprehensive quality assurance program in ICU at King Abdulaziz National Guard Hospital, Alhasa, Saudi Arabia, based on the existing medical evidence. We identified an already-validated set of quality indicators in intensive care and grouped them in categories of outcome measures (which reflect patient's subsequent health status) and process measures (related to patient-healthcare professional's interaction). Data collection forms were developed for nurses and physicians. Data were reported on monthly basis starting from January 2005, and the first 10 months data are presented. Three hundred eighty-seven patients were admitted during the study period. Approximately 56.9% had cardiac related diseases, 33.5% had medical ailments, and 9.6% had surgery related issues. There were 54.6% males and 45.4% females. Mean age of the patients was 58.4 +/- 18.3 years. The mean acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE-II) score was 13.6 +/- 4.9. Outcome measures were either better or comparable to international data, while adherence to process measures was found to be excellent. Standardized mortality ratio for the duration of study was 0.24 with 95% confidence interval from 0.15-0.36. Implementation of QA program is practical in an ICU. Disseminating the quality monitoring information at national level can lead to a broad data base, which can identify the best performing ICUs, thus, leading to bench marking and creating risk adjusted models applicable to local population.

Design and performance of daily quality assurance system for carbon ion therapy at NIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saotome, N.; Furukawa, T.; Hara, Y.; Mizushima, K.; Tansho, R.; Saraya, Y.; Shirai, T.; Noda, K.

2017-09-01

At National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), we have been commissioning a rotating-gantry system for carbon-ion radiotherapy. This rotating gantry can transport heavy ions at 430 MeV/u to an isocenter with irradiation angles of ±180° that can rotate around the patient so that the tumor can be irradiated from any direction. A three-dimensional pencil-beam scanning irradiation system equipped with the rotating gantry enables the optimal use of physical characteristics of carbon ions to provide accurate treatment. To ensure the treatment quality using such a complex system, the calibration of the primary dose monitor, output check, range check, dose rate check, machine safety check, and some mechanical tests should be performed efficiently. For this purpose, we have developed a measurement system dedicated for quality assurance (QA) of this gantry system: the Daily QA system. The system consists of an ionization chamber system and a scintillator system. The ionization chamber system is used for the calibration of the primary dose monitor, output check, and dose rate check, and the scintillator system is used for the range check, isocenter, and gantry angle. The performance of the Daily QA system was verified by a beam test. The stability of the output was within 0.5%, and the range was within 0.5 mm. The coincidence of the coordinates between the patient-positioning system and the irradiation system was verified using the Daily QA system. Our present findings verified that the new Daily QA system for a rotating gantry is capable of verifying the irradiation system with sufficient accuracy.

USGS QA Plan: Certification of digital airborne mapping products

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christopherson, J.

2007-01-01

To facilitate acceptance of new digital technologies in aerial imaging and mapping, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners have launched a Quality Assurance (QA) Plan for Digital Aerial Imagery. This should provide a foundation for the quality of digital aerial imagery and products. It introduces broader considerations regarding processes employed by aerial flyers in collecting, processing and delivering data, and provides training and information for US producers and users alike.

The Impact of Quality Assurance Assessment on Diffusion Tensor Imaging Outcomes in a Large-Scale Population-Based Cohort

PubMed Central

Roalf, David R.; Quarmley, Megan; Elliott, Mark A.; Satterthwaite, Theodore D.; Vandekar, Simon N.; Ruparel, Kosha; Gennatas, Efstathios D.; Calkins, Monica E.; Moore, Tyler M.; Hopson, Ryan; Prabhakaran, Karthik; Jackson, Chad T.; Verma, Ragini; Hakonarson, Hakon; Gur, Ruben C.; Gur, Raquel E.

2015-01-01

Background Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is applied in investigation of brain biomarkers for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the quality of DTI measurements, like other neuroimaging techniques, is susceptible to several confounding factors (e.g. motion, eddy currents), which have only recently come under scrutiny. These confounds are especially relevant in adolescent samples where data quality may be compromised in ways that confound interpretation of maturation parameters. The current study aims to leverage DTI data from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC), a sample of 1,601 youths ages of 8–21 who underwent neuroimaging, to: 1) establish quality assurance (QA) metrics for the automatic identification of poor DTI image quality; 2) examine the performance of these QA measures in an external validation sample; 3) document the influence of data quality on developmental patterns of typical DTI metrics. Methods All diffusion-weighted images were acquired on the same scanner. Visual QA was performed on all subjects completing DTI; images were manually categorized as Poor, Good, or Excellent. Four image quality metrics were automatically computed and used to predict manual QA status: Mean voxel intensity outlier count (MEANVOX), Maximum voxel intensity outlier count (MAXVOX), mean relative motion (MOTION) and temporal signal-to-noise ratio (TSNR). Classification accuracy for each metric was calculated as the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). A threshold was generated for each measure that best differentiated visual QA status and applied in a validation sample. The effects of data quality on sensitivity to expected age effects in this developmental sample were then investigated using the traditional MRI diffusion metrics: fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Finally, our method of QA is compared to DTIPrep. Results TSNR (AUC=0.94) best differentiated Poor data from Good and Excellent

Development and evaluation of multi-energy PbO dosimeter for quality assurance of image-guide radiation therapy devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyo-Tae; Heo, Ye-Ji; Han, Moo-Jae; Oh, Kyung-Min; Lee, Young-Kyu; Kim, Shin-Wook; Park, Sung-Kwang

2017-04-01

In radiation therapy, accurate radiotherapy treatment plan (RTP) reproduction is necessary to optimize the clinical results. Thus, attempts have recently been made to ensure high RTP reproducibility using image-guide radiation therapy (IGRT) technology. However, the clinical use of digital X-ray equipment requires extended quality assurance (QA) for those devices, since the IGRT device quality determines the precision of intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The study described in this paper was focused on developing a multi-energy PbO dosimeter for IGRT device QA. The Schottky-type polycrystalline PbO dosimeter with a Au/PbO/ITO structure was evaluated by comparing its response coincidence, dose linearity, measurement reproducibility, linear attenuation coefficient, and percent depth dose with those of Si diode and standard ionization chamber dosimeters.

Test/QA plan for the validation of the verification protocol for high speed pesticide spray drift reduction technologies for row and field crops

EPA Science Inventory

This test/QA plan for evaluation the generic test protocol for high speed wind tunnel, representing aerial application, pesticide spray drift reduction technologies (DRT) for row and field crops is in conformance with EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/R...

Test/QA plan for the validation of the verification protocol for low speed pesticide spray drift reduction technologies for row and field crops

EPA Science Inventory

This test/QA plan for evaluation the generic test protocol for high speed wind tunnel, representing aerial application, pesticide spray drift reduction technologies (DRT) for row and field crops is in conformance with EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/R...

SU-E-T-255: Development of a Michigan Quality Assurance (MQA) Database for Clinical Machine Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, D

Purpose: A unified database system was developed to allow accumulation, review and analysis of quality assurance (QA) data for measurement, treatment, imaging and simulation equipment in our department. Recording these data in a database allows a unified and structured approach to review and analysis of data gathered using commercial database tools. Methods: A clinical database was developed to track records of quality assurance operations on linear accelerators, a computed tomography (CT) scanner, high dose rate (HDR) afterloader and imaging systems such as on-board imaging (OBI) and Calypso in our department. The database was developed using Microsoft Access database and visualmore » basic for applications (VBA) programming interface. Separate modules were written for accumulation, review and analysis of daily, monthly and annual QA data. All modules were designed to use structured query language (SQL) as the basis of data accumulation and review. The SQL strings are dynamically re-written at run time. The database also features embedded documentation, storage of documents produced during QA activities and the ability to annotate all data within the database. Tests are defined in a set of tables that define test type, specific value, and schedule. Results: Daily, Monthly and Annual QA data has been taken in parallel with established procedures to test MQA. The database has been used to aggregate data across machines to examine the consistency of machine parameters and operations within the clinic for several months. Conclusion: The MQA application has been developed as an interface to a commercially available SQL engine (JET 5.0) and a standard database back-end. The MQA system has been used for several months for routine data collection.. The system is robust, relatively simple to extend and can be migrated to a commercial SQL server.« less

The role of food quality assurance and product certification systems on marketing aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrović, Z.; Milićević, D.; Nastasijević, I.; Đorđević, V.; Trbović, D.; Velebit, B.

2017-09-01

The level of quality that a product offers to consumers is a fundamental aspect of competition in many markets. Consumers’ confidence in the safety and quality of foods they buy and consume is a significant support to the economic development of production organizations of this type, and therefore the overall economic development. Consumer concerns about food safety as well as the globalization of food production have also led to the existence of a global internationally linked food production and distribution system. The necessity demanded by the consumer population to provide safe food with consistent quality at an attractive price imposes a choice of an appropriate quality assurance model in accordance with the specific properties of the product and the production processes. Modern trends, especially for the last ten years in quality assurance within specific production, such as the food industry, have marked the trend of hyperproduction and a number of production and safety standards, as well as a change of approach in the certification process of organizations according to one or more standards. This can be an additional source of costs for organizations, and can burden the food business operator`s budget in order to ensure their consistent application and maintenance. Quality assurance (QA) standards are considered to be a proven mechanism for delivering quality of product.

Optimizing Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance in Clinical Trials: A TROG 08.03 RAVES Substudy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trada, Yuvnik, E-mail: yuvnik@gmail.com; Kneebone, Andrew; Paneghel, Andrea

2015-12-01

Purpose: To explore site- and clinician-level factors associated with protocol violations requiring real-time-review (RTR) resubmission in a multicenter clinical trial to help tailor future quality assurance (QA) protocols. Methods and Materials: RAVES (Radiation Therapy–Adjuvant vs Early Salvage) (Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group 08.03) is a randomized trial comparing adjuvant with early salvage radiation therapy in men with positive surgical margins or pT3 disease after prostatectomy. Quality assurance in RAVES required each clinician and site to submit a credentialing dummy run (DR) and for each patient's radiation therapy plan to undergo external RTR before treatment. Prospectively defined major violations from trial protocol requiredmore » remedy and resubmission. Site and clinician factors associated with RTR resubmission were examined using hierarchical modeling. Results: Data were collected from 171 consecutive patients, treated by 46 clinicians at 32 hospitals. There were 47 RTR resubmissions (27%) due to 65 major violations. The relative rate of resubmission decreased by 29% per year as the study progressed (odds ratio OR. 0.71, P=.02). The majority of resubmissions were due to contouring violations (39 of 65) and dosimetric violations (22 of 65). For each additional patient accrued, significant decreases in RTR resubmission were seen at both clinician level (OR 0.75, P=.02) and site level (OR 0.72, P=.01). The rate of resubmission due to dosimetric violations was only 1.6% after the first 5 patients. Use of IMRT was associated with lower rates of resubmission compared with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (OR 0.38, P=.05). Conclusion: Several low- and high-risk factors that may assist with tailoring future clinical trial QA were identified. Because the real-time resubmission rate was largely independent of the credentialing exercise, some form of RTR QA is recommended. The greatest benefit from QA was derived early in trial

Commissioning and validation of COMPASS system for VMAT patient specific quality assurance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimthong, J.; Kakanaporn, C.; Tuntipumiamorn, L.; Laojunun, P.; Iampongpaiboon, P.

2016-03-01

Pre-treatment patient specific quality assurance (QA) of advanced treatment techniques such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is one of important QA in radiotherapy. The fast and reliable dosimetric device is required. The objective of this study is to commission and validate the performance of COMPASS system for dose verification of VMAT technique. The COMPASS system is composed of an array of ionization detectors (MatriXX) mounted to the gantry using a custom holder and software for the analysis and visualization of QA results. We validated the COMPASS software for basic and advanced clinical application. For the basic clinical study, the simple open field in various field sizes were validated in homogeneous phantom. And the advanced clinical application, the fifteen prostate and fifteen nasopharyngeal cancers VMAT plans were chosen to study. The treatment plans were measured by the MatriXX. The doses and dose-volume histograms (DVHs) reconstructed from the fluence measurements were compared to the TPS calculated plans. And also, the doses and DVHs computed using collapsed cone convolution (CCC) Algorithm were compared with Eclipse TPS calculated plans using Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) that according to dose specified in ICRU 83 for PTV.

Application of Quality Assurance Strategies in Diagnostics and Clinical Support Services in Iranian Hospitals

PubMed Central

Aghaei Hashjin, Asgar; Kringos, Dionne; Ravaghi, Hamid; Manoochehri, Jila; Gorji, Hassan Abolghasem; Klazinga, Niek S.

2015-01-01

Background: Iran has a widespread diagnostics and clinical support services (DCSS) network that plays a crucial role in providing diagnostic and clinical support services to both inpatient and outpatient care. However, very little is known on the application of quality assurance (QA) policies in DCSS units. This study explores the extent of application of eleven QA strategies in DCSS units within Iranian hospitals and its association with hospital characteristics. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009/2010. Data were collected from 554 DCSS units among 84 hospitals. Results: The average reported application rate for the QA strategies ranged from 57%-94% in the DCSS units. Most frequently reported were checking drugs expiration dates (94%), pharmacopoeia availability (92%), equipment calibration (87%) and identifying responsibilities (86%). Least reported was external auditing of the DCSS (57%). The clinical chemistry and microbiology laboratories (84%), pharmacies, blood bank services (83%) reported highest average application rates across all questioned QA strategies. Lowest application rates were reported in human tissue banks (50%). There was no significant difference between the reported application rates in DCSS in the general/specialized, teaching/research, nonteaching/research hospitals with the exception of pharmacies and radiology departments. They reported availability of a written QA plan significantly more often in research hospitals. Nearly all QA strategies were reported to be applied significantly more often in the DCSS of Social Security Organization (SSO) and private-for-profit hospitals than in governmental hospitals. Conclusion: There is still room for strengthening the managerial cycle of QA systems and accountability in the DCSS in Iranian hospitals. Getting feedback, change and learning through application of specific QA strategies (eg, external/internal audits) can be improved. Both the effectiveness of QA

Application of Quality Assurance Strategies in Diagnostics and Clinical Support Services in Iranian Hospitals.

PubMed

Aghaei Hashjin, Asgar; Kringos, Dionne; Ravaghi, Hamid; Manoochehri, Jila; Gorji, Hassan Abolghasem; Klazinga, Niek S

2015-05-20

Iran has a widespread diagnostics and clinical support services (DCSS) network that plays a crucial role in providing diagnostic and clinical support services to both inpatient and outpatient care. However, very little is known on the application of quality assurance (QA) policies in DCSS units. This study explores the extent of application of eleven QA strategies in DCSS units within Iranian hospitals and its association with hospital characteristics. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009/2010. Data were collected from 554 DCSS units among 84 hospitals. The average reported application rate for the QA strategies ranged from 57%-94% in the DCSS units. Most frequently reported were checking drugs expiration dates (94%), pharmacopoeia availability (92%), equipment calibration (87%) and identifying responsibilities (86%). Least reported was external auditing of the DCSS (57%). The clinical chemistry and microbiology laboratories (84%), pharmacies, blood bank services (83%) reported highest average application rates across all questioned QA strategies. Lowest application rates were reported in human tissue banks (50%). There was no significant difference between the reported application rates in DCSS in the general/specialized, teaching/research, nonteaching/research hospitals with the exception of pharmacies and radiology departments. They reported availability of a written QA plan significantly more often in research hospitals. Nearly all QA strategies were reported to be applied significantly more often in the DCSS of Social Security Organization (SSO) and private-for-profit hospitals than in governmental hospitals. There is still room for strengthening the managerial cycle of QA systems and accountability in the DCSS in Iranian hospitals. Getting feedback, change and learning through application of specific QA strategies (eg, external/internal audits) can be improved. Both the effectiveness of QA strategies in practice, and the application of

The importance of quality assurance/quality control of diagnostics to increase the confidence in global foot-and-mouth disease control.

PubMed

De Clercq, K; Goris, N; Barnett, P V; MacKay, D K

2008-01-01

The last decade international trade in animals and animal products was liberated and confidence in this global trade can increase only if appropriate control measures are applied. As foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) diagnostics will play an essential role in this respect, the Food and Agriculture Organization European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EUFMD) co-ordinates, in collaboration with the European Commission, several programmes to increase the quality of FMD diagnostics. A quality assurance (QA) system is deemed essential for laboratories involved in certifying absence of FMDV or antibodies against the virus. Therefore, laboratories are encouraged to validate their diagnostic tests fully and to install a continuous quality control (QC) monitoring system. Knowledge of performance characteristics of diagnostics is essential to interpret results correctly and to calculate sample rates in regional surveillance campaigns. Different aspects of QA/QC of classical and new FMD virological and serological diagnostics are discussed in respect to the EU FMD directive (2003/85/EC). We recommended accepting trade certificates only from laboratories participating in international proficiency testing on a regular basis.

EPA Region 3 Quality Management Plans

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Has links to resources that describe the Region's Quality Assurance Program, which is a collection of the Region's ongoing quality assurance (QA) policies, procedures, responsibilities and management systems.

Experience with Quality Assurance in Two Store-and-Forward Telemedicine Networks.

PubMed

Wootton, Richard; Liu, Joanne; Bonnardot, Laurent; Venugopal, Raghu; Oakley, Amanda

2015-01-01

Despite the increasing use of telemedicine around the world, little has been done to incorporate quality assurance (QA) into these operations. The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of QA in store-and-forward teleconsulting using a previously published framework. During a 2-year study period, we examined the feasibility of using QA tools in two mature telemedicine networks [Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and New Zealand Teledermatology (NZT)]. The tools included performance reporting to assess trends, automated follow-up of patients to obtain outcomes data, automated surveying of referrers to obtain user feedback, and retrospective assessment of randomly selected cases to assess quality. In addition, the senior case coordinators in each network were responsible for identifying potential adverse events from email reports received from users. During the study period, there were 149 responses to the patient follow-up questions relating to the 1241 MSF cases (i.e., 12% of cases), and there were 271 responses to the follow-up questions relating to the 639 NZT cases (i.e., 42% of cases). The collection of user feedback reports was combined with the collection of patient follow-up data, thus producing the same response rates. The outcomes data suggested that the telemedicine advice proved useful for the referring doctor in the majority of cases and was likely to benefit the patient. The user feedback was overwhelmingly positive, over 90% of referrers in the two networks finding the advice received to be of educational benefit. The feedback also suggested that the teleconsultation had provided cost savings in about 20% of cases, either to the patient/family, or to the hospital/clinic treating the patient. Various problems were detected by regular monitoring, and certain adverse events were identified from email reports by the users. A single aberrant quality reading was detected by using a process control chart. The present study demonstrates

Quality Assurance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Career Development Inst., Springfield.

This booklet is one of six texts from a workplace literacy curriculum designed to assist learners in facing the increased demands of the workplace. The booklet contains five sections that cover the following topics: (1) importance of reliability; (2) meaning of quality assurance; (3) historical development of quality assurance; (4) statistical…

Quality assurance audit: a prospective non-randomised trial of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for osteolymphoma (TROG 99.04/ALLG LY02).

PubMed

Christie, D; Le, T; Watling, K; Cornes, D; O'Brien, P; Hitchins, R

2009-04-01

A quality assurance (QA) audit of the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group and Australasian Lymphoma and Leukaemia Group trial (TROG 99.04/ALLG LY02) began after accrual of 25 patients. The trial is a prospective non-randomized study of standard treatment for osteolymphoma. Data relating to informed consent, eligibility, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were reviewed. The audit showed a relatively low level of major variations from the protocol, with an overall rate of 3.6%. As this trial has accrued slowly over a long period, the concept of QA has also developed. Amendments were made to the protocol accordingly. In the future, QA procedures should be predetermined, conducted rapidly in real time, and appropriately funded in order to be relevant to the ongoing conduct of the trial.

Quality assessment program for EuroFlow protocols: summary results of four-year (2010-2013) quality assurance rounds.

PubMed

Kalina, Tomas; Flores-Montero, Juan; Lecrevisse, Quentin; Pedreira, Carlos E; van der Velden, Vincent H J; Novakova, Michaela; Mejstrikova, Ester; Hrusak, Ondrej; Böttcher, Sebastian; Karsch, Dennis; Sędek, Łukasz; Trinquand, Amelie; Boeckx, Nancy; Caetano, Joana; Asnafi, Vahid; Lucio, Paulo; Lima, Margarida; Helena Santos, Ana; Bonaccorso, Paola; van der Sluijs-Gelling, Alita J; Langerak, Anton W; Martin-Ayuso, Marta; Szczepański, Tomasz; van Dongen, Jacques J M; Orfao, Alberto

2015-02-01

Flow cytometric immunophenotyping has become essential for accurate diagnosis, classification, and disease monitoring in hemato-oncology. The EuroFlow Consortium has established a fully standardized "all-in-one" pipeline consisting of standardized instrument settings, reagent panels, and sample preparation protocols and software for data analysis and disease classification. For its reproducible implementation, parallel development of a quality assurance (QA) program was required. Here, we report on the results of four consecutive annual rounds of the novel external QA EuroFlow program. The novel QA scheme aimed at monitoring the whole flow cytometric analysis process (cytometer setting, sample preparation, acquisition and analysis) by reading the median fluorescence intensities (MedFI) of defined lymphocytes' subsets. Each QA participant applied the predefined reagents' panel on blood cells of local healthy donors. A uniform gating strategy was applied to define lymphocyte subsets and to read MedFI values per marker. The MedFI values were compared with reference data and deviations from reference values were quantified using performance score metrics. In four annual QA rounds, we analyzed 123 blood samples from local healthy donors on 14 different instruments in 11 laboratories from nine European countries. The immunophenotype of defined cellular subsets appeared sufficiently standardized to permit unified (software) data analysis. The coefficient of variation of MedFI for 7 of 11 markers performed repeatedly below 30%, average MedFI in each QA round ranged from 86 to 125% from overall median. Calculation of performance scores was instrumental to pinpoint standardization failures and their causes. Overall, the new EuroFlow QA system for the first time allowed to quantify the technical variation that is introduced in the measurement of fluorescence intensities in a multicentric setting over an extended period of time. EuroFlow QA is a proficiency test specific for

Feasibility study of proton-based quality assurance of proton range compensator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, S.; Jeong, C.; Min, B. J.; Kwak, J.; Lee, J.; Cho, S.; Shin, D.; Lim, Y. K.; Park, S. Y.; Lee, S. B.

2013-06-01

All patient specific range compensators (RCs) are customized for achieving distal dose conformity of target volume in passively scattered proton therapy. Compensators are milled precisely using a computerized machine. In proton therapy, precision of the compensator is critical and quality assurance (QA) is required to protect normal tissues and organs from radiation damage. This study aims to evaluate the precision of proton-based quality assurance of range compensator. First, the geometry information of two compensators was extracted from the DICOM Radiotherapy (RT) plan. Next, RCs were irradiated on the EBT film individually by proton beam which is modulated to have a photon-like percent depth dose (PDD). Step phantoms were also irradiated on the EBT film to generate calibration curve which indicates relationship between optical density of irradiated film and perpendicular depth of compensator. Comparisons were made using the mean absolute difference (MAD) between coordinate information from DICOM RT and converted depth information from the EBT film. MAD over the whole region was 1.7, and 2.0 mm. However, MAD over the relatively flat regions on each compensator selected for comparison was within 1 mm. These results shows that proton-based quality assurance of range compensator is feasible and it is expected to achieve MAD over the whole region less than 1 mm with further correction about scattering effect of proton imaging.

Underground Test Area Activity Quality Assurance Plan Nevada National Security Site, Nevada. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krenzien, Susan; Farnham, Irene

This Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) provides the overall quality assurance (QA) requirements and general quality practices to be applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) activities. The requirements in this QAP are consistent with DOE Order 414.1D, Change 1, Quality Assurance (DOE, 2013a); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling (EPA, 2002); and EPA Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models (EPA, 2009). If a participant’s requirement document differs from this QAP, the stricter requirement will take precedence.more » NNSA/NFO, or designee, must review this QAP every two years. Changes that do not affect the overall scope or requirements will not require an immediate QAP revision but will be incorporated into the next revision cycle after identification. Section 1.0 describes UGTA objectives, participant responsibilities, and administrative and management quality requirements (i.e., training, records, procurement). Section 1.0 also details data management and computer software requirements. Section 2.0 establishes the requirements to ensure newly collected data are valid, existing data uses are appropriate, and environmental-modeling methods are reliable. Section 3.0 provides feedback loops through assessments and reports to management. Section 4.0 provides the framework for corrective actions. Section 5.0 provides references for this document.« less

EPA GEOSPATIAL QUALITY COUNCIL

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Geospatial Quality Council (previously known as the EPA GIS-QA Team - EPA/600/R-00/009 was created to fill the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geospatial communities. All EPA Offices and Regions were invited to participate. Currently, the EPA Geospatial Q...

Long-distance longitudinal prostate MRI quality assurance: from startup to 12 months.

PubMed

Curci, Nicole E; Gartland, Patrick; Shankar, Prasad R; Montgomery, Jeffrey S; Miller, David C; George, Arvin K; Davenport, Matthew S

2018-02-22

To evaluate a 12-month long-distance prostate MRI quality assurance (QA) program. The need for IRB approval was waived for this prospective longitudinal QA effort. One academic institution experienced with prostate MRI [~ 1000 examinations/year (Site 2)] partnered with a private institution 240 miles away that was starting a new prostate MRI program (Site 1). Site 1 performed all examinations (N = 249). Four radiologists at Site 1 created finalized reports, then sent images and reports to Site 2 for review on a rolling basis. One radiologist at Site 2 reviewed findings and exam quality and discussed results by phone (~ 2-10 minutes/MRI). In months 1-6 all examinations were reviewed. In months 7-12 only PI-RADS ≤ 2 and 'difficult' cases were reviewed. Repeatability was assessed with intra-class correlation (ICC). 'Clinically significant cancer' was Gleason ≥ 7. Image quality significantly (p < 0.001) improved after the first three months. Inter-rater agreement also improved in months 3-4 [ICC: 0.849 (95% CI 0.744-0.913)] and 5-6 [ICC: 0.768 (95% CI 0.619-0.864)] compared to months 1-2 [ICC: 0.621 (95% CI 0.436-0.756)]. PI-RADS ≤ 2 examinations were reclassified PI-RADS ≥ 3 in 19% (30/162); of these, 23 had post-MRI histology and 57% (13/23) had clinically significant cancer (5.2% of 249). False-negative examinations [N = 18 (PI-RADS ≤ 2 and Gleason ≥ 7)] were more common at Site 1 during months 1-6 [9% (14/160) vs. 4% (4/89)]. Positive predictive values for PI-RADS ≥ 3 were similar. Remote quality assurance of prostate MRI is feasible and useful, enabling new programs to gain durable skills with minimal risk to patients.

Specific application for Oak Ridge National Laboratory dismantlement of Building 3004. Appendix A -- Quality assurance plan; Appendix B -- Records management plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This quality assurance (QA) plan defines the QA requirements for the dismantlement and removal of Building 3004 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The building is a four-story wooden trained structure with wooden siding, which resides approximately 150 ft west of the Bulk Shielding Reactor, and only several feet away from the visitors entrance to the Graphite Reactor museum. Complete descriptions and sketches are in the Performance Specification document for this project. This project is being conducted as a non-CERCLA maintenance action. This plan is an appendix to the QA plan for the ORNL Environmental Restoration (ER) Program. ORNL/ER-225, whichmore » is the source of the project QA requirements, tailors those QA requirements to the specific needs of this project as defined in ORNL/ER-225. Project-specific description and organization are also provided in this plan. Appendix B, Records Management Plan, is included.« less

DeepQA: improving the estimation of single protein model quality with deep belief networks.

PubMed

Cao, Renzhi; Bhattacharya, Debswapna; Hou, Jie; Cheng, Jianlin

2016-12-05

Protein quality assessment (QA) useful for ranking and selecting protein models has long been viewed as one of the major challenges for protein tertiary structure prediction. Especially, estimating the quality of a single protein model, which is important for selecting a few good models out of a large model pool consisting of mostly low-quality models, is still a largely unsolved problem. We introduce a novel single-model quality assessment method DeepQA based on deep belief network that utilizes a number of selected features describing the quality of a model from different perspectives, such as energy, physio-chemical characteristics, and structural information. The deep belief network is trained on several large datasets consisting of models from the Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP) experiments, several publicly available datasets, and models generated by our in-house ab initio method. Our experiments demonstrate that deep belief network has better performance compared to Support Vector Machines and Neural Networks on the protein model quality assessment problem, and our method DeepQA achieves the state-of-the-art performance on CASP11 dataset. It also outperformed two well-established methods in selecting good outlier models from a large set of models of mostly low quality generated by ab initio modeling methods. DeepQA is a useful deep learning tool for protein single model quality assessment and protein structure prediction. The source code, executable, document and training/test datasets of DeepQA for Linux is freely available to non-commercial users at http://cactus.rnet.missouri.edu/DeepQA/ .

Sci-Thur AM: YIS – 08: Automated Imaging Quality Assurance for Image-Guided Small Animal Irradiators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnstone, Chris; Bazalova-Carter, Magdalena

Purpose: To develop quality assurance (QA) standards and tolerance levels for image quality of small animal irradiators. Methods: A fully automated in-house QA software for image analysis of a commercial microCT phantom was created. Quantitative analyses of CT linearity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), uniformity and noise, geometric accuracy, modulation transfer function (MTF), and CT number evaluation was performed. Phantom microCT scans from seven institutions acquired with varying parameters (kVp, mA, time, voxel size, and frame rate) and five irradiator units (Xstrahl SARRP, PXI X-RAD 225Cx, PXI X-RAD SmART, GE explore CT/RT 140, and GE Explore CT 120) were analyzed. Multi-institutional datamore » sets were compared using our in-house software to establish pass/fail criteria for each QA test. Results: CT linearity (R2>0.996) was excellent at all but Institution 2. Acceptable SNR (>35) and noise levels (<55HU) were obtained at four of the seven institutions, where failing scans were acquired with less than 120mAs. Acceptable MTF (>1.5 lp/mm for MTF=0.2) was obtained at all but Institution 6 due to the largest scan voxel size (0.35mm). The geometric accuracy passed (<1.5%) at five of the seven institutions. Conclusion: Our QA software can be used to rapidly perform quantitative imaging QA for small animal irradiators, accumulate results over time, and display possible changes in imaging functionality from its original performance and/or from the recommended tolerance levels. This tool will aid researchers in maintaining high image quality, enabling precise conformal dose delivery to small animals.« less

A survey of quality assurance practices in biomedical open source software projects.

PubMed

Koru, Günes; El Emam, Khaled; Neisa, Angelica; Umarji, Medha

2007-05-07

Open source (OS) software is continuously gaining recognition and use in the biomedical domain, for example, in health informatics and bioinformatics. Given the mission critical nature of applications in this domain and their potential impact on patient safety, it is important to understand to what degree and how effectively biomedical OS developers perform standard quality assurance (QA) activities such as peer reviews and testing. This would allow the users of biomedical OS software to better understand the quality risks, if any, and the developers to identify process improvement opportunities to produce higher quality software. A survey of developers working on biomedical OS projects was conducted to examine the QA activities that are performed. We took a descriptive approach to summarize the implementation of QA activities and then examined some of the factors that may be related to the implementation of such practices. Our descriptive results show that 63% (95% CI, 54-72) of projects did not include peer reviews in their development process, while 82% (95% CI, 75-89) did include testing. Approximately 74% (95% CI, 67-81) of developers did not have a background in computing, 80% (95% CI, 74-87) were paid for their contributions to the project, and 52% (95% CI, 43-60) had PhDs. A multivariate logistic regression model to predict the implementation of peer reviews was not significant (likelihood ratio test = 16.86, 9 df, P = .051) and neither was a model to predict the implementation of testing (likelihood ratio test = 3.34, 9 df, P = .95). Less attention is paid to peer review than testing. However, the former is a complementary, and necessary, QA practice rather than an alternative. Therefore, one can argue that there are quality risks, at least at this point in time, in transitioning biomedical OS software into any critical settings that may have operational, financial, or safety implications. Developers of biomedical OS applications should invest more effort

SU-G-201-01: An Automated Treatment Plan Quality Assurance Program for High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy with a VaginalCylinder Applicator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Y; Tan, J; Jiang, S

Purpose: Plan specific quality assurance (QA) is an important step in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy to ensure the integrity of a treatment plan. The conventional approach is to assemble a set of plan screen-captures in a document and have an independent plan-checker to verify it. Not only is this approach cumbersome and time-consuming, using a document also limits the items that can be verified, hindering plan quality and patient safety. We have initiated efforts to develop a web-based HDR brachytherapy QA system called AutoBrachy QA, for comprehensive and efficient QA. This abstract reports a new plugin in this systemmore » for the QA of a cylinder HDR brachytherapy treatment. Methods: A cylinder plan QA module was developed using Python. It was plugged into our AutoBrachy QA system. This module extracted information from CT images and treatment plan. Image processing techniques were employed to obtain geometric parameters, e.g. cylinder diameter. A comprehensive set of eight geometrical and eight dosimetric features of the plan were validated against user specified planning parameter, such as prescription value, treatment depth and length, etc. A PDF document was generated, consisting of a summary QA sheet with all the QA results, as well as images showing plan details. Results: The cylinder QA program has been implemented in our clinic. To date, it has been used in 11 patient cases and was able to successfully perform QA tests in all of them. The QA program reduced the average plan QA time from 7 min using conventional manual approach to 0.5 min. Conclusion: Being a new module in our AutoBrachy QA system, an automated treatment plan QA module for cylinder HDR brachytherapy has been successfully developed and clinically implemented. This module improved clinical workflow and plan integrity compared to the conventional manual approach.« less

The University of Texas Houston Stroke Registry (UTHSR): implementation of enhanced data quality assurance procedures improves data quality

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Limited information has been published regarding standard quality assurance (QA) procedures for stroke registries. We share our experience regarding the establishment of enhanced QA procedures for the University of Texas Houston Stroke Registry (UTHSR) and evaluate whether these QA procedures have improved data quality in UTHSR. Methods All 5093 patient records that were abstracted and entered in UTHSR, between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011, were considered in this study. We conducted reliability and validity studies. For reliability and validity of data captured by abstractors, a random subset of 30 records was used for re-abstraction of select key variables by two abstractors. These 30 records were re-abstracted by a team of experts that included a vascular neurologist clinician as the “gold standard”. We assessed inter-rater reliability (IRR) between the two abstractors as well as validity of each abstractor with the “gold standard”. Depending on the scale of variables, IRR was assessed with Kappa or intra-class correlations (ICC) using a 2-way, random effects ANOVA. For assessment of validity of data in UTHSR we re-abstracted another set of 85 patient records for which all discrepant entries were adjudicated by a vascular neurology fellow clinician and added to the set of our “gold standard”. We assessed level of agreement between the registry data and the “gold standard” as well as sensitivity and specificity. We used logistic regression to compare error rates for different years to assess whether a significant improvement in data quality has been achieved during 2008–2011. Results The error rate dropped significantly, from 4.8% in 2008 to 2.2% in 2011 (P < 0.001). The two abstractors had an excellent IRR (Kappa or ICC ≥ 0.75) on almost all key variables checked. Agreement between data in UTHSR and the “gold standard” was excellent for almost all categorical and continuous variables. Conclusions Establishment of a

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR FORM QA/QC CHECKS (UA-C-2.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to outline the process of Field Quality Assurance and Quality Control checks. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXAS project and the "Border" study. Keywords: custody; QA/QC; field checks.

The Nation...

Radiation oncology and medical physicists quality assurance in British Columbia Cancer Agency Provincial Prostate Brachytherapy Program.

PubMed

Keyes, Mira; Morris, William James; Spadinger, Ingrid; Araujo, Cynthia; Cheung, Arthur; Chng, Nick; Crook, Juanita; Halperin, Ross; Lapointe, Vince; Miller, Stacy; Pai, Howard; Pickles, Tom

2013-01-01

To describe in detail British Columbia (BC) Cancer Agency (BCCA) Provincial Prostate Brachytherapy (PB) Quality Assurance (QA) Program. The BCCA PB Program was established in 1997. It operates as one system, unified and supported by electronic and information systems, making it a single PB treatment provider for province of BC and Yukon. To date, >4000 patients have received PB (450 implants in 2011), making it the largest program in Canada. The Program maintains a large provincial prospective electronic database with records on all patients, including disease characteristics, risk stratification, pathology, preplan and postimplant dosimetric data, follow-up of prostate-specific antigen, and toxicity outcomes. QA was an integral part of the program since its inception. A formal QA Program was established in 2002, with key components that include: unified eligibility criteria and planning system, comprehensive database, physics and oncologist training and mentorship programs, peer review process, individual performance outcomes and feedback process, structured continuing education and routine assessment of the program's dosimetry, toxicity and prostate-specific antigen outcomes, administration and program leadership that promotes a strong culture of patient safety. The emphasis on creating a robust, broad-based network of skilled providers has been achieved by the program's requirements for training, education, and the QA process. The formal QA process is considered a key factor for the success of cancer control outcomes achieved at BCCA. Although this QA model may not be wholly transferable to all PB programs, some of its key components may be applicable to other programs to ensure quality in PB and patient safety. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilizing a structural meta-ontology for family-based quality assurance of the BioPortal ontologies.

PubMed

Ochs, Christopher; He, Zhe; Zheng, Ling; Geller, James; Perl, Yehoshua; Hripcsak, George; Musen, Mark A

2016-06-01

An Abstraction Network is a compact summary of an ontology's structure and content. In previous research, we showed that Abstraction Networks support quality assurance (QA) of biomedical ontologies. The development of an Abstraction Network and its associated QA methodologies, however, is a labor-intensive process that previously was applicable only to one ontology at a time. To improve the efficiency of the Abstraction-Network-based QA methodology, we introduced a QA framework that uses uniform Abstraction Network derivation techniques and QA methodologies that are applicable to whole families of structurally similar ontologies. For the family-based framework to be successful, it is necessary to develop a method for classifying ontologies into structurally similar families. We now describe a structural meta-ontology that classifies ontologies according to certain structural features that are commonly used in the modeling of ontologies (e.g., object properties) and that are important for Abstraction Network derivation. Each class of the structural meta-ontology represents a family of ontologies with identical structural features, indicating which types of Abstraction Networks and QA methodologies are potentially applicable to all of the ontologies in the family. We derive a collection of 81 families, corresponding to classes of the structural meta-ontology, that enable a flexible, streamlined family-based QA methodology, offering multiple choices for classifying an ontology. The structure of 373 ontologies from the NCBO BioPortal is analyzed and each ontology is classified into multiple families modeled by the structural meta-ontology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

John F. Kennedy Space Center, Safety, Reliability, Maintainability and Quality Assurance, Survey and Audit Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This document is the product of the KSC Survey and Audit Working Group composed of civil service and contractor Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) personnel. The program described herein provides standardized terminology, uniformity of survey and audit operations, and emphasizes process assessments rather than a program based solely on compliance. The program establishes minimum training requirements, adopts an auditor certification methodology, and includes survey and audit metrics for the audited organizations as well as the auditing organization.

Quality assurance in the HIV/AIDS laboratory network of China.

PubMed

Jiang, Yan; Qiu, Maofeng; Zhang, Guiyun; Xing, Wenge; Xiao, Yao; Pan, Pinliang; Yao, Jun; Ou, Chin-Yih; Su, Xueli

2010-12-01

In 2009, there were 8273 local screening laboratories, 254 confirmatory laboratories, 35 provincial confirmatory central laboratories and 1 National AIDS Reference Laboratory (NARL) in China. These laboratories were located in Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) facilities, hospitals, blood donation clinics, maternal and child health (MCH) hospitals and border health quarantine health-care facilities. The NARL and provincial laboratories provide quality assurance through technical, bio-safety and managerial training; periodic proficiency testing; on-site supervisory inspections; and commercial serologic kit evaluations. From 2002 to 2009, more than 220 million HIV antibody tests were performed at screening laboratories, and all reactive and indeterminate samples were confirmed at confirmatory laboratories. The use of highly technically complex tests, including CD4 cell enumeration, viral load, dried blood spot (DBS)-based early infant diagnosis (EID), drug resistance (DR) genotyping, HIV-1 subtyping and incidence assays, have increased in recent years and their performance quality is closely monitored. China has made significant progress in establishing a well-coordinated HIV laboratory network and QA systems. However, the coverage and intensity of HIV testing and quality assurance programmes need to be strengthened so as to ensure that more infected persons are diagnosed and that they receive timely prevention and treatment services.

Quality Assurance of Cancer Study Common Data Elements Using A Post-Coordination Approach

PubMed Central

Jiang, Guoqian; Solbrig, Harold R.; Prud’hommeaux, Eric; Tao, Cui; Weng, Chunhua; Chute, Christopher G.

2015-01-01

Domain-specific common data elements (CDEs) are emerging as an effective approach to standards-based clinical research data storage and retrieval. A limiting factor, however, is the lack of robust automated quality assurance (QA) tools for the CDEs in clinical study domains. The objectives of the present study are to prototype and evaluate a QA tool for the study of cancer CDEs using a post-coordination approach. The study starts by integrating the NCI caDSR CDEs and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data dictionaries in a single Resource Description Framework (RDF) data store. We designed a compositional expression pattern based on the Data Element Concept model structure informed by ISO/IEC 11179, and developed a transformation tool that converts the pattern-based compositional expressions into the Web Ontology Language (OWL) syntax. Invoking reasoning and explanation services, we tested the system utilizing the CDEs extracted from two TCGA clinical cancer study domains. The system could automatically identify duplicate CDEs, and detect CDE modeling errors. In conclusion, compositional expressions not only enable reuse of existing ontology codes to define new domain concepts, but also provide an automated mechanism for QA of terminological annotations for CDEs. PMID:26958201

Study of quality assurance regulations for linear accelerators in Korea: A comparison study between the current status in Korea and the international guidelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunho; Jeong, Seonghoon; Jo, Yunhui; Yoon, Myonggeun

2015-07-01

Quality assurance (QA) for medical linear accelerators is indispensable for appropriate cancer treatment. Some international organizations and advanced Western countries have provided QA guidelines for linear accelerators. Currently, QA regulations for linear accelerators in Korean hospitals specify a system in which each hospital stipulates its independent hospital-based protocols for QA procedures (HP_QAPs) and conducts QA based on those HP_QAPs while regulatory authorities verify whether items under those HP_QAPs have been performed. However, because this regulatory method cannot guarantee the quality of universal treatment and QA items with tolerance criteria are different in many hospitals, the presentation of standardized QA items and tolerance criteria is essential. In this study, QA items in HP_QAPs from various hospitals and those presented by international organizations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the European Union, and the American Association of Physicist in Medicine, and by advanced Western countries, such as the USA, the UK, and Canada, were compared. Concordance rates between QA items for linear accelerators that were presented by the aforementioned organizations and those currently being implemented in Korean hospitals were shown to exhibit a daily QA of 50%, a weekly QA of 22%, a monthly QA of 43%, and an annual QA of 65%, and the overall concordance rates of all QA items were approximately 48%. In the comparison between QA items being implemented in Korean hospitals and those being implemented in advanced Western countries, concordance rates were shown to exhibit a daily QA of 50%, a weekly QA of 33%, a monthly QA of 60%, and an annual QA of 67%, and the overall concordance rates of all QA items were approximately 57%. The results of this study indicate that the HP_QAPs currently implemented by Korean hospitals as QA standards for linear accelerators used in radiation therapy do not meet international standards. If this

Quality assurance testing of acoustic doppler current profiler transform matrices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Armstrong, Brandy; Fulford, Janice M.; Thibodeaux, Kirk G.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) is nationally responsible for the design, testing, evaluation, repair, calibration, warehousing, and distribution of hydrologic instrumentation in use within the USGS Water Mission Area (WMA). The HIF's Hydraulic Laboratory has begun routine quality assurance (QA) testing and documenting the performance of every USGS WMA acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) used for making velocity and discharge measurements. All existing ADCPs are being registered and tracked in a database maintained by the HIF, and called for QA checks in the HIF's Hydraulic Laboratory on a 3- year cycle. All new ADCPs purchased directly from the manufacturer as well as ADCPs sent to the HIF or the manufacturer for repair are being registered and tracked in the database and QA checked in the laboratory before being placed into service. Meters failing the QA check are sent directly to the manufacturer for repairs and rechecked by HIF or removed from service. Although this QA program is specific to the SonTek1 and Teledyne RD Instruments1, ADCPs most commonly used within the WMA, it is the intent of the USGS Office of Surface Water and the HIF to expand this program to include all bottom tracking ADCPs as they become available and more widely used throughout the WMA. As part of the HIF QA process, instruments are inspected for physical damage, the instrument must pass the ADCP diagnostic self-check tests, the temperature probe must be within ± 2 degrees Celsius of a National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable reference thermometer and the distance made good over a fixed distance must meet the manufacturer's specifications (+/-0.25% or +/-1% difference). The transform matrix is tested by conducting distance-made-good (DMG) tests comparing the straight-line distance from bottom tracking to the measured tow-track distance. The DMG test is conducted on each instrument twice in the forward and reverse

Historical evolution of medical quality assurance in the Department of Defense.

PubMed

Granger, Elder; Boyer, John; Weiss, Richard; Linton, Andrea; Williams, Thomas V

2010-08-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) Military Health System (MHS) embodies decades of health care practice that has evolved in scope and complexity to meet the demands for quality care to which its beneficiaries are entitled. War, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), and other dynamic forces require the ongoing review and revision of health care policy and practice in military hospitals as well as the expanded network of civilian providers who care for our nation's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and their families. The result has been an incrementally constructed quality assurance (QA) program with emphasis on organizational structures, programs, and systems, and the use of robust data sources and standard measures to analyze and improve processes, manage disease, assess patient perceptions of care, and ensure that a uniform health care benefit and high quality health care is accessible to all MHS beneficiaries.

Implementing the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) at National Level: Some Insights from the PEN Leonardo Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gatt, Suzanne; Faurschou, Kim

2016-01-01

EQAVET, the quality assurance tool in vocational and educational training, was developed in response to the need for a supply of a trained workforce for labour market needs. Implementation of EQAVET at national level, however, remains a challenge. The research reported here focused on the implementation of QA processes by VET providers in 4…

Quality assurance of the SCOPE 1 trial in oesophageal radiotherapy.

PubMed

Wills, Lucy; Maggs, Rhydian; Lewis, Geraint; Jones, Gareth; Nixon, Lisette; Staffurth, John; Crosby, Tom

2017-11-15

SCOPE 1 was the first UK based multi-centre trial involving radiotherapy of the oesophagus. A comprehensive radiotherapy trials quality assurance programme was launched with two main aims: 1. To assist centres, where needed, to adapt their radiotherapy techniques in order to achieve protocol compliance and thereby enable their participation in the trial. 2. To support the trial's clinical outcomes by ensuring the consistent planning and delivery of radiotherapy across all participating centres. A detailed information package was provided and centres were required to complete a benchmark case in which the delineated target volumes and organs at risk, dose distribution and completion of a plan assessment form were assessed prior to recruiting patients into the trial. Upon recruiting, the quality assurance (QA) programme continued to monitor the outlining and planning of radiotherapy treatments. Completion of a questionnaire was requested in order to gather information about each centre's equipment and techniques relating to their trial participation and to assess the impact of the trial nationally on standard practice for radiotherapy of the oesophagus. During the trial, advice was available for individual planning issues, and was circulated amongst the SCOPE 1 community in response to common areas of concern using bulletins. 36 centres were supported through QA processes to enable their participation in SCOPE1. We discuss the issues which have arisen throughout this process and present details of the benchmark case solutions, centre questionnaires and on-trial protocol compliance. The range of submitted benchmark case GTV volumes was 29.8-67.8cm 3 ; and PTV volumes 221.9-513.3 cm 3 . For the dose distributions associated with these volumes, the percentage volume of the lungs receiving 20Gy (V20Gy) ranged from 20.4 to 33.5%. Similarly, heart V40Gy ranged from 16.1 to 33.0%. Incidence of incorrect outlining of OAR volumes increased from 50% of centres at benchmark

Implementation of a quality assurance process for non-therapeutic infant male circumcision providers in North West England.

PubMed

Whittaker, P J; Gollins, H J; Roaf, E J

2014-03-01

Infant male circumcision is practised by many groups for religious and cultural reasons. Prompted by a desire to minimize the complication rate and to help parents identify good quality providers, a quality assurance (QA) process for infant male circumcision providers has been developed in Greater Manchester. Local stakeholders agreed a set of minimum standards, and providers were invited to submit evidence of their practice in relation to these standards. In participation with parents, community groups, faith groups, healthcare staff and safeguarding partners, an information leaflet for parents was produced. Engagement work with local community groups, faith groups, providers and healthcare staff was vital to ensure that the resources are accessible to parents and that providers continue to engage in the process. Providers that met the QA standards have been listed on a local website. Details of the website are included in the information leaflet distributed by maternity services, health visitors, primary care and community and faith groups. The leaflet is available in seven languages. Local QA processes can be used to encourage and identify good practice and to support parents who need to access services outside the remit of the National Health Service.

Development of a dynamic quality assurance testing protocol for multisite clinical trial DCE-CT accreditation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Driscoll, B.; Keller, H.; Jaffray, D.

2013-08-15

Purpose: Credentialing can have an impact on whether or not a clinical trial produces useful quality data that is comparable between various institutions and scanners. With the recent increase of dynamic contrast enhanced-computed tomography (DCE-CT) usage as a companion biomarker in clinical trials, effective quality assurance, and control methods are required to ensure there is minimal deviation in the results between different scanners and protocols at various institutions. This paper attempts to address this problem by utilizing a dynamic flow imaging phantom to develop and evaluate a DCE-CT quality assurance (QA) protocol.Methods: A previously designed flow phantom, capable of producingmore » predictable and reproducible time concentration curves from contrast injection was fully validated and then utilized to design a DCE-CT QA protocol. The QA protocol involved a set of quantitative metrics including injected and total mass error, as well as goodness of fit comparison to the known truth concentration curves. An additional region of interest (ROI) sensitivity analysis was also developed to provide additional details on intrascanner variability and determine appropriate ROI sizes for quantitative analysis. Both the QA protocol and ROI sensitivity analysis were utilized to test variations in DCE-CT results using different imaging parameters (tube voltage and current) as well as alternate reconstruction methods and imaging techniques. The developed QA protocol and ROI sensitivity analysis was then applied at three institutions that were part of clinical trial involving DCE-CT and results were compared.Results: The inherent specificity of robustness of the phantom was determined through calculation of the total intraday variability and determined to be less than 2.2 ± 1.1% (total calculated output contrast mass error) with a goodness of fit (R{sup 2}) of greater than 0.99 ± 0.0035 (n= 10). The DCE-CT QA protocol was capable of detecting significant deviations

Underground Test Area Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Quality Assurance Report Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krenzien, Susan

2015-01-01

This report is required by the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) and identifies the UGTA quality assurance (QA) activities from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014 (fiscal year [FY] 2014). All UGTA organizations—U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO); Desert Research Institute (DRI); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec); Navarro-Intera, LLC (N-I); and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—conducted QA activities in FY 2014. The activities included conducting oversight assessments for QAP compliance, identifying findings and completing corrective actions, evaluating laboratory performance,more » and publishing documents. UGTA Activity participants conducted 25 assessments on topics including safe operations, QAP compliance, activity planning, and sampling. These assessments are summarized in Section 2.0. Corrective actions tracked in FY 2014 are presented in Appendix A. Laboratory performance was evaluated based on three approaches: (1) established performance evaluation programs (PEPs), (2) interlaboratory comparisons, or (3) data review. The results of the laboratory performance evaluations, and interlaboratory comparison results are summarized in Section 4.0. The UGTA Activity published three public documents and a variety of other publications in FY 2014. The titles, dates, and main authors are identified in Section 5.0. The Contract Managers, Corrective Action Unit (CAU) Leads, Preemptive Review (PER) Committee members, and Topical Committee members are listed by name and organization in Section 6.0. Other activities that affected UGTA quality are discussed in Section 7.0. Section 8.0 provides the FY 2014 UGTA QA program conclusions, and Section 9.0 lists the references not identified in Section 5.0.« less

Quality assurance of data collection in the multi-site community randomized trial and prevalence survey of the children's healthy living program.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Ashley; Fialkowski, Marie Kainoa; Wilkens, Lynne; Li, Fenfang; Ettienne, Reynolette; Fleming, Travis; Power, Julianne; Deenik, Jonathan; Coleman, Patricia; Leon Guerrero, Rachael; Novotny, Rachel

2016-09-02

Quality assurance plays an important role in research by assuring data integrity, and thus, valid study results. We aim to describe and share the results of the quality assurance process used to guide the data collection process in a multi-site childhood obesity prevalence study and intervention trial across the US Affiliated Pacific Region. Quality assurance assessments following a standardized protocol were conducted by one assessor in every participating site. Results were summarized to examine and align the implementation of protocol procedures across diverse settings. Data collection protocols focused on food and physical activity were adhered to closely; however, protocols for handling completed forms and ensuring data security showed more variability. Quality assurance protocols are common in the clinical literature but are limited in multi-site community-based studies, especially in underserved populations. The reduction in the number of QA problems found in the second as compared to the first data collection periods for the intervention study attest to the value of this assessment. This paper can serve as a reference for similar studies wishing to implement quality assurance protocols of the data collection process to preserve data integrity and enhance the validity of study findings. NIH clinical trial #NCT01881373.

The costs of accessible quality assured syphilis diagnostics: informing quality systems for rapid syphilis tests in a Tanzanian setting.

PubMed

Sweeney, Sedona; Mosha, Jacklin F; Terris-Prestholt, Fern; Sollis, Kimberly A; Kelly, Helen; Changalucha, John; Peeling, Rosanna W

2014-08-01

To determine the costs of Rapid Syphilis Test (RSTs) as compared with rapid plasma reagin (RPR) when implemented in a Tanzanian setting, and to determine the relative impact of a quality assurance (QA) system on the cost of RST implementation. The incremental costs for RPR and RST screening programmes in existing antenatal care settings in Geita District, Tanzania were collected for 9 months in subsequent years from nine health facilities that varied in size, remoteness and scope of antenatal services. The costs per woman tested and treated were estimated for each facility. A sensitivity analysis was constructed to determine the impact of parameter and model uncertainty. In surveyed facilities, a total of 6362 women were tested with RSTs compared with 224 tested with RPR. The range of unit costs was $1.76-$3.13 per woman screened and $12.88-$32.67 per woman treated. Unit costs for the QA system came to $0.51 per woman tested, of which 50% were attributed to salaries and transport for project personnel. Our results suggest that rapid syphilis diagnostics are very inexpensive in this setting and can overcome some critical barriers to ensuring universal access to syphilis testing and treatment. The additional costs for implementation of a quality system were found to be relatively small, and could be reduced through alterations to the programme design. Given the potential for a quality system to improve quality of diagnosis and care, we recommend that QA activities be incorporated into RST roll-out. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Quality assurance in transition.

PubMed

Blumenfeld, S N

1993-06-01

This paper outlines the early approaches to quality assurance, and its transition from business to health care. It then describes the development of the more recent trends in quality assurance of Total Quality Management and Continuous Quality Improvement and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. The paper then goes on to show how these approaches have been modified for application to peripheral health services in developing countries through the work of the Primary Health Care Operations Research Project and the Quality Assurance Project.

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac.

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Pei; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X Allen

2016-04-01

To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data are accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose-volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.

Automating linear accelerator quality assurance.

PubMed

Eckhause, Tobias; Al-Hallaq, Hania; Ritter, Timothy; DeMarco, John; Farrey, Karl; Pawlicki, Todd; Kim, Gwe-Ya; Popple, Richard; Sharma, Vijeshwar; Perez, Mario; Park, SungYong; Booth, Jeremy T; Thorwarth, Ryan; Moran, Jean M

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was 2-fold. One purpose was to develop an automated, streamlined quality assurance (QA) program for use by multiple centers. The second purpose was to evaluate machine performance over time for multiple centers using linear accelerator (Linac) log files and electronic portal images. The authors sought to evaluate variations in Linac performance to establish as a reference for other centers. The authors developed analytical software tools for a QA program using both log files and electronic portal imaging device (EPID) measurements. The first tool is a general analysis tool which can read and visually represent data in the log file. This tool, which can be used to automatically analyze patient treatment or QA log files, examines the files for Linac deviations which exceed thresholds. The second set of tools consists of a test suite of QA fields, a standard phantom, and software to collect information from the log files on deviations from the expected values. The test suite was designed to focus on the mechanical tests of the Linac to include jaw, MLC, and collimator positions during static, IMRT, and volumetric modulated arc therapy delivery. A consortium of eight institutions delivered the test suite at monthly or weekly intervals on each Linac using a standard phantom. The behavior of various components was analyzed for eight TrueBeam Linacs. For the EPID and trajectory log file analysis, all observed deviations which exceeded established thresholds for Linac behavior resulted in a beam hold off. In the absence of an interlock-triggering event, the maximum observed log file deviations between the expected and actual component positions (such as MLC leaves) varied from less than 1% to 26% of published tolerance thresholds. The maximum and standard deviations of the variations due to gantry sag, collimator angle, jaw position, and MLC positions are presented. Gantry sag among Linacs was 0.336 ± 0.072 mm. The standard deviation in MLC

Current external beam radiation therapy quality assurance guidance: does it meet the challenges of emerging image-guided technologies?

PubMed

Palta, Jatinder R; Liu, Chihray; Li, Jonathan G

2008-01-01

The traditional prescriptive quality assurance (QA) programs that attempt to ensure the safety and reliability of traditional external beam radiation therapy are limited in their applicability to such advanced radiation therapy techniques as three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, inverse treatment planning, stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy, and image-guided radiation therapy. The conventional QA paradigm, illustrated by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Radiation Therapy Committee Task Group 40 (TG-40) report, consists of developing a consensus menu of tests and device performance specifications from a generic process model that is assumed to apply to all clinical applications of the device. The complexity, variation in practice patterns, and level of automation of high-technology radiotherapy renders this "one-size-fits-all" prescriptive QA paradigm ineffective or cost prohibitive if the high-probability error pathways of all possible clinical applications of the device are to be covered. The current approaches to developing comprehensive prescriptive QA protocols can be prohibitively time consuming and cost ineffective and may sometimes fail to adequately safeguard patients. It therefore is important to evaluate more formal error mitigation and process analysis methods of industrial engineering to more optimally focus available QA resources on process components that have a significant likelihood of compromising patient safety or treatment outcomes.

TH-A-BRC-03: AAPM TG218: Measurement Methods and Tolerance Levels for Patient-Specific IMRT Verification QA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miften, M.

2016-06-15

AAPM TG-135U1 QA for Robotic Radiosurgery - Sonja Dieterich Since the publication of AAPM TG-135 in 2011, the technology of robotic radiosurgery has rapidly developed. AAPM TG-135U1 will provide recommendations on the clinical practice for using the IRIS collimator, fiducial-less real-time motion tracking, and Monte Carlo based treatment planning. In addition, it will summarize currently available literature about uncertainties. Learning Objectives: Understand the progression of technology since the first TG publication Learn which new QA procedures should be implemented for new technologies Be familiar with updates to clinical practice guidelines AAPM TG-178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance -more » Steven Goetsch Purpose: AAPM Task Group 178 Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Dosimetry and Quality Assurance was formed in August, 2008. The Task Group has 12 medical physicists, two physicians and two consultants. Methods: A round robin dosimetry intercomparison of proposed ionization chambers, electrometer and dosimetry phantoms was conducted over a 15 month period in 2011 and 2012 (Med Phys 42, 11, Nov, 2015). The data obtained at 9 institutions (with ten different Elekta Gamma Knife units) was analyzed by the lead author using several protocols. Results: The most consistent results were obtained using the Elekta ABS 16cm diameter phantom, with the TG-51 protocol modified as recommended by Alfonso et al (Med Phys 35, 11, Nov 2008). A key white paper (Med Phys, in press) sponsored by Elekta Corporation, was used to obtain correction factors for the ionization chambers and phantoms used in this intercomparison. Consistent results were obtained for both Elekta Gamma Knife Model 4C and Gamma Knife Perfexion units as measured with each of two miniature ionization chambers. Conclusion: The full report gives clinical history and background of gamma stereotactic radiosurgery, clinical examples and history, quality assurance recommendations and

Usefulness of a new online patient-specific quality assurance system for respiratory-gated radiotherapy.

PubMed

Kurosawa, Tomoyuki; Tachibana, Hidenobu; Moriya, Shunsuke; Miyakawa, Shin; Nishio, Teiji; Sato, Masanori

2017-11-01

The accuracy of gated irradiation may decrease when treatment is performed with short "beam-on" times. Also, the dose is subject to variation between treatment sessions if the respiratory rate is irregular. We therefore evaluated the impact of the differences between gated and non-gated treatment on doses using a new online quality assurance (QA) system for respiratory-gated radiotherapy. We generated dose estimation models to associate dose and pulse information using a 0.6 cc Farmer chamber and our QA system. During gated irradiation with each of seven regular and irregular respiratory patterns, with the Farmer chamber readings as references, we evaluated our QA system's accuracy. We then used the QA system to assess the impact of respiratory patterns on dose distribution for three lung and three liver radiotherapy plans. Gated and non-gated plans were generated and compared. There was agreement within 1.7% between the ionization chamber and our system for several regular and irregular motion patterns. For dose distributions with measured errors, there were larger differences between gated and non-gated treatment for high-dose regions within the planned treatment volume (PTV). Compared with a non-gated plan, PTV D 95% for a gated plan decreased by -1.5% to -2.6%. Doses to organs at risk were similar with both plans. Our simple system estimated the radiation dose to the patient using only pulse information from the linac, even during irregular respiration. The quality of gated irradiation for each patient can be verified fraction by fraction. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TU-FG-BRB-12: Real-Time Visualization of Discrete Spot Scanning Proton Therapy Beam for Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsuzaki, Y; Jenkins, C; Yang, Y

Purpose: With the growing adoption of proton beam therapy there is an increasing need for effective and user-friendly tools for performing quality assurance (QA) measurements. The speed and versatility of spot-scanning proton beam (PB) therapy systems present unique challenges for traditional QA tools. To address these challenges a proof-of-concept system was developed to visualize, in real-time, the delivery of individual spots from a spot-scanning PB in order to perform QA measurements. Methods: The PB is directed toward a custom phantom with planar faces coated with a radioluminescent phosphor (Gd2O2s:Tb). As the proton beam passes through the phantom visible light ismore » emitted from the coating and collected by a nearby CMOS camera. The images are processed to determine the locations at which the beam impinges on each face of the phantom. By so doing, the location of each beam can be determined relative to the phantom. The cameras are also used to capture images of the laser alignment system. The phantom contains x-ray fiducials so that it can be easily located with kV imagers. Using this data several quality assurance parameters can be evaluated. Results: The proof-of-concept system was able to visualize discrete PB spots with energies ranging from 70 MeV to 220 MeV. Images were obtained with integration times ranging from 20 to 0.019 milliseconds. If not limited by data transmission, this would correspond to a frame rate of 52,000 fps. Such frame rates enabled visualization of individual spots in real time. Spot locations were found to be highly correlated (R{sup 2}=0.99) with the nozzle-mounted spot position monitor indicating excellent spot positioning accuracy Conclusion: The system was shown to be capable of imaging individual spots for all clinical beam energies. Future development will focus on extending the image processing software to provide automated results for a variety of QA tests.« less

The Long and Winding Road: Duties of an NHEERL QA Manager from 1999 to 2008

EPA Science Inventory

My career as a US EPA Quality Assurance Manager (QAM) started on September 26, 1999 when I was appointed the QA and Records Manager for the Experimental Toxicology Division (ETD) in NHEERL, in the Office of Research and Development (ORD), on the Research Triangle Campus in RTP, N...

Clinical implementation and error sensitivity of a 3D quality assurance protocol for prostate and thoracic IMRT

PubMed Central

Cotter, Christopher; Turcotte, Julie Catherine; Crawford, Bruce; Sharp, Gregory; Mah'D, Mufeed

2015-01-01

This work aims at three goals: first, to define a set of statistical parameters and plan structures for a 3D pretreatment thoracic and prostate intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) quality assurance (QA) protocol; secondly, to test if the 3D QA protocol is able to detect certain clinical errors; and third, to compare the 3D QA method with QA performed with single ion chamber and 2D gamma test in detecting those errors. The 3D QA protocol measurements were performed on 13 prostate and 25 thoracic IMRT patients using IBA's COMPASS system. For each treatment planning structure included in the protocol, the following statistical parameters were evaluated: average absolute dose difference (AADD), percent structure volume with absolute dose difference greater than 6% (ADD6), and 3D gamma test. To test the 3D QA protocol error sensitivity, two prostate and two thoracic step‐and‐shoot IMRT patients were investigated. Errors introduced to each of the treatment plans included energy switched from 6 MV to 10 MV, multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf errors, linac jaws errors, monitor unit (MU) errors, MLC and gantry angle errors, and detector shift errors. QA was performed on each plan using a single ion chamber and 2D array of ion chambers for 2D and 3D QA. Based on the measurements performed, we established a uniform set of tolerance levels to determine if QA passes for each IMRT treatment plan structure: maximum allowed AADD is 6%; maximum 4% of any structure volume can be with ADD6 greater than 6%, and maximum 4% of any structure volume may fail 3D gamma test with test parameters 3%/3 mm DTA. Out of the three QA methods tested the single ion chamber performed the worst by detecting 4 out of 18 introduced errors, 2D QA detected 11 out of 18 errors, and 3D QA detected 14 out of 18 errors. PACS number: 87.56.Fc PMID:26699299

Saving Quality from Quality Assurance. Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Sandra L.

2004-01-01

The word 'quality' has become a 'central term in the lexicon of contemporary higher education and a major point of interest to various interest groups'. As quality assurance systems have developed around the world, certain assumptions are becoming alarmingly widespread: for example that quality assurance is new to higher education, that quality…

Quality Assurance for University Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Roger, Ed.

This book, written from a British perspective, presents 17 papers on quality assurance in teaching at the university level. The first eight papers address issues of assuring quality and include: (1) "Quality Assurance for University Teaching; Issues and Approaches" (Roger Ellis); (2) "A British Standard for University…

40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

40 CFR 136.7 - Quality assurance and quality control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... quality control elements, where applicable, into the laboratory's documented standard operating procedure... quality control elements must be clearly documented in the written standard operating procedure for each... Methods contains QA/QC procedures in the Part 1000 section of the Standard Methods Compendium. The...

SU-E-J-199: A Software Tool for Quality Assurance of Online Replanning with MR-Linac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, G; Ahunbay, E; Li, X

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a quality assurance software tool, ArtQA, capable of automatically checking radiation treatment plan parameters, verifying plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary MU calculation considering the effect of magnetic field from MR-Linac, and verifying the delivery and plan consistency, for online replanning. Methods: ArtQA was developed by creating interfaces to TPS (e.g., Monaco, Elekta), R&V system (Mosaiq, Elekta), and secondary MU calculation system. The tool obtains plan parameters from the TPS via direct file reading, and retrieves plan data both transferred from TPS and recorded during themore » actual delivery in the R&V system database via open database connectivity and structured query language. By comparing beam/plan datasets in different systems, ArtQA detects and outputs discrepancies between TPS, R&V system and secondary MU calculation system, and delivery. To consider the effect of 1.5T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA is capable of automatically checking plan integrity and logic consistency, detecting plan data transfer errors, performing secondary MU calculations with or without a transverse magnetic field, and verifying treatment delivery. The tool is efficient and effective for pre- and post-treatment QA checks of all available treatment parameters that may be impractical with the commonly-used visual inspection. Conclusion: The software tool ArtQA can be used for quick and automatic pre- and post-treatment QA check, eliminating human error associated with visual inspection. While this tool is developed for online replanning to be used on MR-Linac, where the QA needs to be performed rapidly as the patient is lying on the table waiting for the treatment, ArtQA can be used as a general

10 CFR 71.37 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quality assurance. 71.37 Section 71.37 Energy NUCLEAR... Package Approval § 71.37 Quality assurance. (a) The applicant shall describe the quality assurance program... quality assurance program that are applicable to the particular package design under consideration...

Development of quality measures for monitoring and improving care in gastroenterology.

PubMed

Germansky, Katharine A; Leffler, Daniel A

2011-06-01

Over the past decade, most quality assurance (QA) efforts in gastroenterology have been aimed at endoscopy. Endoscopic quality improvement was the rational area to begin QA work in gastroenterology due to the relatively acute nature of complications and the high volume of procedures performed. While endoscopy is currently the focus of most quality assurance (QA) measures in gastroenterology, more recent efforts have begun to address clinical gastroenterology practices both in the outpatient and inpatient settings. Clinical outpatient and inpatient gastroenterology is laden with areas where standardization could benefit patient care. While data and experience in clinical gastroenterology QA is relatively limited, it is clear that inconsistent use of guidelines and practice variations in gastroenterology can lead to lower quality care. In this review, we review a variety of areas in clinical gastroenterology where existing guidelines and published data suggest both the need and practicality of active QA measures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality control of EUVE databases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

John, L. M.; Drake, J.

1992-01-01

The publicly accessible databases for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer include: the EUVE Archive mailserver; the CEA ftp site; the EUVE Guest Observer Mailserver; and the Astronomical Data System node. The EUVE Performance Assurance team is responsible for verifying that these public EUVE databases are working properly, and that the public availability of EUVE data contained therein does not infringe any data rights which may have been assigned. In this poster, we describe the Quality Assurance (QA) procedures we have developed from the approach of QA as a service organization, thus reflecting the overall EUVE philosophy of Quality Assurance integrated into normal operating procedures, rather than imposed as an external, post facto, control mechanism.

Poster - Thur Eve - 10: Long term stability of VMAT quality assurance parameters using an EPID.

PubMed

Pekar, J; Diamond, K R

2012-07-01

The rapidly growing use of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatments in radiation therapy calls for a quantitative, automated, and reliable quality assurance (QA) procedure that can be used routinely in the clinical setting. In this work, we present a series VMAT QA procedures used to assess dynamic multi-leaf collimator (MLC) positional accuracy, variable dose-rate accuracy, and MLC leaf speed accuracy. The QA procedures were performed using amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging devices (EPID) to determine the long term stability of the measured parameters on two Varian linear accelerators. The measurements were repeated weekly on both linear accelerators for a period of three months and the EPID images were analyzed using custom Matlab software. The results of the picket fence tests indicate that MLC leaf positions can be identified to within 0.11 mm and 0.15 mm for static gantry delivery and VMAT delivery respectively. In addition, the dose-rate, gantry speed and MLC leaf speed tests both show very good stability over the measurement period. The measurements thus far, suggest that a number of the dosimetry tests may be suitable for quarterly QA for Varian iX and Trilogy linacs. However, additional measurements are required to confirm the frequency with which each test is required for safe and reliable VMAT delivery at our centre. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Quality assurance and training procedures for computer-aided detection and diagnosis systems in clinical usea)

PubMed Central

Huo, Zhimin; Summers, Ronald M.; Paquerault, Sophie; Lo, Joseph; Hoffmeister, Jeffrey; Armato, Samuel G.; Freedman, Matthew T.; Lin, Jesse; Ben Lo, Shih-Chung; Petrick, Nicholas; Sahiner, Berkman; Fryd, David; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Chan, Heang-Ping

2013-01-01

Computer-aided detection/diagnosis (CAD) is increasingly used for decision support by clinicians for detection and interpretation of diseases. However, there are no quality assurance (QA) requirements for CAD in clinical use at present. QA of CAD is important so that end users can be made aware of changes in CAD performance both due to intentional or unintentional causes. In addition, end-user training is critical to prevent improper use of CAD, which could potentially result in lower overall clinical performance. Research on QA of CAD and user training are limited to date. The purpose of this paper is to bring attention to these issues, inform the readers of the opinions of the members of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) CAD subcommittee, and thus stimulate further discussion in the CAD community on these topics. The recommendations in this paper are intended to be work items for AAPM task groups that will be formed to address QA and user training issues on CAD in the future. The work items may serve as a framework for the discussion and eventual design of detailed QA and training procedures for physicists and users of CAD. Some of the recommendations are considered by the subcommittee to be reasonably easy and practical and can be implemented immediately by the end users; others are considered to be “best practice” approaches, which may require significant effort, additional tools, and proper training to implement. The eventual standardization of the requirements of QA procedures for CAD will have to be determined through consensus from members of the CAD community, and user training may require support of professional societies. It is expected that high-quality CAD and proper use of CAD could allow these systems to achieve their true potential, thus benefiting both the patients and the clinicians, and may bring about more widespread clinical use of CAD for many other diseases and applications. It is hoped that the awareness of the

Training, Quality Assurance Factors, and Tools Investigation: a Work Report and Suggestions on Software Quality Assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Pen-Nan

1991-01-01

Previously, several research tasks have been conducted, some observations were obtained, and several possible suggestions have been contemplated involving software quality assurance engineering at NASA Johnson. These research tasks are briefly described. Also, a brief discussion is given on the role of software quality assurance in software engineering along with some observations and suggestions. A brief discussion on a training program for software quality assurance engineers is provided. A list of assurance factors as well as quality factors are also included. Finally, a process model which can be used for searching and collecting software quality assurance tools is presented.

A noble technique a using force-sensing resistor for immobilization-device quality assurance: A feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Min-Seok; Kim, Tae-Ho; Kang, Seong-Hee; Kim, Dong-Su; Kim, Kyeong-Hyeon; Shin, Dong-Seok; Noh, Yu-Yun; Koo, Hyun-Jae; Cheon, Geum Seong; Suh, Tae Suk; Kim, Siyong

2016-03-01

Many studies have reported that a patient can move even when an immobilization device is used. Researchers have developed an immobilization-device quality-assurance (QA) system that evaluates the validity of immobilization devices. The QA system consists of force-sensing-resistor (FSR) sensor units, an electric circuit, a signal conditioning device, and a control personal computer (PC) with in-house software. The QA system is designed to measure the force between an immobilization device and a patient's skin by using the FSR sensor unit. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using the QA system in radiation-exposure situations. When the FSR sensor unit was irradiated with a computed tomography (CT) beam and a treatment beam from a linear accelerator (LINAC), the stability of the output signal, the image artifact on the CT image, and changing the variation on the patient's dose were tested. The results of this study demonstrate that this system is promising in that it performed within the error range (signal variation on CT beam < 0.30 kPa, root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the two CT images according to presence or absence of the FSR sensor unit < 15 HU, signal variation on the treatment beam < 0.15 kPa, and dose difference between the presence and the absence of the FSR sensor unit < 0.02%). Based on the obtained results, we will volunteer tests to investigate the clinical feasibility of the QA system.

PREPARATION AIDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATEGORY II QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Data collection activities performed for the Risk Reduction Engineering aboratory (RREL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are divided into tour categories, depending on the intended use of the data. uality Assurance (QA) Project Plans are written to ensure that project...

PREPARATION AIDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATEGORY I QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Data collection activities performed for the Risk Reduction Engineering aboratory (RREL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are divided into tour categories, depending on the intended use of the data. uality Assurance (QA) Project Plans are written to ensure that project...

PREPARATION AIDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATEGORY III QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Data collection activities performed for the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are divided into four categories, depending on the intended use of the data. uality Assurance (QA) Project Plans are written to ensure that projec...

PREPARATION AIDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATEGORY IV QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Data collection activities performed for the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are divided into four categories, depending on the intended use of the data. uality Assurance (QA) Project Plans are written to ensure that projec...

Evaluation of a laboratory quality assurance pilot programme for malaria diagnostics in low-transmission areas of Kenya, 2013.

PubMed

Wanja, Elizabeth; Achilla, Rachel; Obare, Peter; Adeny, Rose; Moseti, Caroline; Otieno, Victor; Morang'a, Collins; Murigi, Ephantus; Nyamuni, John; Monthei, Derek R; Ogutu, Bernhards; Buff, Ann M

2017-05-25

One objective of the Kenya National Malaria Strategy 2009-2017 is scaling access to prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. In 2013, a quality assurance (QA) pilot was implemented to improve accuracy of malaria diagnostics at selected health facilities in low-transmission counties of Kenya. Trends in malaria diagnostic and QA indicator performance during the pilot are described. From June to December 2013, 28 QA officers provided on-the-job training and mentoring for malaria microscopy, malaria rapid diagnostic tests and laboratory QA/quality control (QC) practices over four 1-day visits at 83 health facilities. QA officers observed and recorded laboratory conditions and practices and cross-checked blood slides for malaria parasite presence, and a portion of cross-checked slides were confirmed by reference laboratories. Eighty (96%) facilities completed the pilot. Among 315 personnel at pilot initiation, 13% (n = 40) reported malaria diagnostics training within the previous 12 months. Slide positivity ranged from 3 to 7%. Compared to the reference laboratory, microscopy sensitivity ranged from 53 to 96% and positive predictive value from 39 to 53% for facility staff and from 60 to 96% and 52 to 80%, respectively, for QA officers. Compared to reference, specificity ranged from 88 to 98% and negative predictive value from 98 to 99% for health-facility personnel and from 93 to 99% and 99%, respectively, for QA officers. The kappa value ranged from 0.48-0.66 for facility staff and 0.57-0.84 for QA officers compared to reference. The only significant test performance improvement observed for facility staff was for specificity from 88% (95% CI 85-90%) to 98% (95% CI 97-99%). QA/QC practices, including use of positive-control slides, internal and external slide cross-checking and recording of QA/QC activities, all increased significantly across the pilot (p < 0.001). Reference material availability also increased significantly; availability of six microscopy job

Read Code Quality Assurance

PubMed Central

Schulz, Erich; Barrett, James W.; Price, Colin

1998-01-01

As controlled clinical vocabularies assume an increasing role in modern clinical information systems, so the issue of their quality demands greater attention. In order to meet the resulting stringent criteria for completeness and correctness, a quality assurance system comprising a database of more than 500 rules is being developed and applied to the Read Thesaurus. The authors discuss the requirement to apply quality assurance processes to their dynamic editing database in order to ensure the quality of exported products. Sources of errors include human, hardware, and software factors as well as new rules and transactions. The overall quality strategy includes prevention, detection, and correction of errors. The quality assurance process encompasses simple data specification, internal consistency, inspection procedures and, eventually, field testing. The quality assurance system is driven by a small number of tables and UNIX scripts, with “business rules” declared explicitly as Structured Query Language (SQL) statements. Concurrent authorship, client-server technology, and an initial failure to implement robust transaction control have all provided valuable lessons. The feedback loop for error management needs to be short. PMID:9670131

EPA GEOSPATIAL QUALITY COUNCIL STRATEGY PLAN FY-02

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Geospatial Quality Council (GQC), previously known as the EPA GIS-QA Team - EPA/600/R-00/009, was created to fill the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geospatial communities. All EPA Offices and Regions were invited to participate. Currently, the EPA...

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR FORM QA AND QC CHECKS (UA-C-2.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to outline the process of field quality assurance and quality control checks. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXAS project and the Border study. Keywords: custody; QA/QC; field checks.

The U.S.-Mex...

RAVEN Quality Assurance Activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cogliati, Joshua Joseph

2015-09-01

This report discusses the quality assurance activities needed to raise the Quality Level of Risk Analysis in a Virtual Environment (RAVEN) from Quality Level 3 to Quality Level 2. This report also describes the general RAVEN quality assurance activities. For improving the quality, reviews of code changes have been instituted, more parts of testing have been automated, and improved packaging has been created. For upgrading the quality level, requirements have been created and the workflow has been improved.

Quality Assurance and Improvement in Head and Neck Cancer Surgery: From Clinical Trials to National Healthcare Initiatives.

PubMed

Simon, Christian; Caballero, Carmela

2018-05-24

It is without question in the best interest of our patients, if we can identify ways to improve the quality of care we deliver to them. Great progress has been made within the last 25 years in terms of development and implementation of quality-assurance (QA) platforms and quality improvement programs for surgery in general, and within this context for head and neck surgery. As of now, we have successfully identified process indicators that impact outcome of our patients and the quality of care we deliver as surgeons. We have developed risk calculators to determine the risk for complications of individual surgical patients. We have created perioperative guidelines for complex head and neck procedures. We have in Europe and North America created audit registries that can gather and analyze data from institutions across the world to better understand which processes need change to obtain good outcomes and improve quality of care. QA platforms can be tested within the clearly defined environment of prospective clinical trials. If positive, such programs could be rolled out within national healthcare systems, if feasible. Testing quality programs in clinical trials could be a versatile tool to help head neck cancer patients benefit directly from such initiatives on a global level.

SU-F-T-587: Quality Assurance of Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Patient Specific Plans: A Comparison Between MATRIXX and Delta4 QA Devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsai, YC; Lu, SH; Chen, LH

2016-06-15

Purpose: Patient-specific quality assurance (QA) is necessary to accurately deliver high dose radiation to the target, especially for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Unlike previous 2 dimensional (D) array QA devices, Delta{sup 4} can verify the dose delivery in 3D. In this study, the difference between calculated and measured dose distribution was compared with two QA devices (MATRIXX and Delta{sup 4}) to evaluate the delivery accuracy. Methods: Twenty-seven SRS/SBRT plans with VMAT were verified with point-dose and dose-map analysis. We use an ion chamber (A1SL, 0.053cc) for point-dose measurement. For verification of the dose map, themore » differences between the calculated and measured doses were analyzed with a gamma index using MATRIXX and Delta{sup 4} devices. The passing criteria for gamma evaluation were set at 3 mm for distance-to-agreement (DTA) and 3% for dose-difference. A gamma index less than 1 was defined as the verification passing the criteria and satisfying at least 95% of the points. Results: The mean prescribed dose and fraction was 40 ± 14.41 Gy (range: 16–60) and 10 ± 2.35 fractions (range: 1–8), respectively. In point dose analysis, the differences between the calculated and measured doses were all less than 5% (mean: 2.12 ± 1.13%; range: −0.55% to 4.45%). In dose-map analysis, the average passing rates were 99.38 ± 0.96% (range: 95.31–100%) and 100 ± 0.12% (range: 99.5%–100%) for MATRIXX and Delta{sup 4}, respectively. Even using criteria of 2%/2 mm, the passing rate of Delta{sup 4} was still more than 95% (mean: 99 ± 1.08%; range: 95.6%–100%). Conclusion: Both MATRIXX and Delta{sup 4} offer accurate and efficient verification for SRS/SBRT plans. The results measured by MATRIXX and Delta{sup 4} dosimetry systems are similar for SRS/SBRT performed with the VMAT technique.« less

A Review of Quality Assurance Methods to Assist Professional Record Keeping: Implications for Providers of Interpersonal Violence Treatment

PubMed Central

Bradshaw, Kelsey M.; Donohue, Brad; Wilks, Chelsey

2014-01-01

Errors have been found to frequently occur in the management of case records within mental health service systems. In cases involving interpersonal violence, such errors have been found to negatively impact service implementation and lead to significant trauma and fatalities. In an effort to ensure adherence to specified standards of care, quality assurance programs (QA) have been developed to monitor and enhance service implementation. These programs have generally been successful in facilitating record management. However, these systems are rarely disseminated, and not well integrated. Therefore, within the context of interpersonal violence, we provide an extensive review of evidence supported record keeping practices, and methods to assist in assuring these practices are implemented with adherence. PMID:24976786

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Guang-Pei, E-mail: gpchen@mcw.edu; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X. Allen

Purpose: To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. Methods: The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data aremore » accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose–volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. Conclusions: The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.« less

[Integrated quality assurance].

PubMed

Bögel, K; Stöhr, K

1994-07-01

The definition of terms and connotation of "Quality", "Quality Assurance" and "Integration" lead to an analysis and understanding of inhibiting and fostering factors of the "Health Triad" of people, animals and environment. Although "Quality" is largely or ultimately determined by the consumer, there are considerable differences as this term is applied by (a) the individual consumer, (b) the dynamic producer defending or gaining markets, (c) those engaged in traditional product manufacturing, or (d) governments setting (minimum) requirements for the sake of free trade. "Quality Assurance" offers cooperation of partners all along the food chain from "pasture to table". The managerial process turned into a continuum of responsibility and agreement on processes and product characteristics. This overcomes the disadvantages of strategies stressing distinct defense barriers. In practice this philosophy of a predominant role of defence barriers proved largely partnership destructive, in that it permitted to shift responsibilities for failures and to claim administrative competence according to momentary situations and interests. "Integrated Quality Assurance" means mutual agreement of two or more partners along the food chain (e. g. feed producers, farmers, animal health industry, veterinarians and food processors) on product characteristics and production methods. It involves essential system elements including facilities, materials, manpower, information, transport, management etc. Different principles and procedures of quality assurance have been introduced in practice, including agriculture and food processing. These different approaches are not mutually exclusive but largely of complementary nature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Redefining and expanding quality assurance.

PubMed

Robins, J L

1992-12-01

To meet the current standards of excellence necessary for blood establishments, we have learned from industry that a movement toward organization-wide quality assurance/total quality management must be made. Everyone in the organization must accept responsibility for participating in providing the highest quality products and services. Quality must be built into processes and design systems to support these quality processes. Quality assurance has been redefined to include a quality planning function described as the most effective way of designing quality into processes. A formalized quality planning process must be part of quality assurance. Continuous quality improvement has been identified as the strategy every blood establishment must support while striving for error-free processing as the long-term objective. The auditing process has been realigned to support and facilitate this same objective. Implementing organization-wide quality assurance/total quality management is one proven plan for guaranteeing the quality of the 20 million products that are transfused into 4 million patients each year and for moving toward the new order.

A quality assurance audit: phase III trial of maximal androgen deprivation in prostate cancer (TROG 96.01).

PubMed

Steigler, A; Mameghan, H; Lamb, D; Joseph, D; Matthews, J; Franklin, I; Turner, S; Spry, N; Poulsen, M; North, J; Kovacev, O; Denham, J

2000-02-01

In 1997 the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) performed a quality assurance (QA) audit of its phase III randomized clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of different durations of maximal androgen deprivation prior to and during definitive radiation therapy for locally advanced carcinoma of the prostate (TROG 96.01). The audit reviewed a total of 60 cases from 15 centres across Australia and New Zealand. In addition to verification of technical adherence to the protocol, the audit also incorporated a survey of centre planning techniques and a QA time/cost analysis. The present report builds on TROG's first technical audit conducted in 1996 for the phase III accelerated head and neck trial (TROG 91.01) and highlights the significant progress TROG has made in the interim period. The audit provides a strong validation of the results of the 96.01 trial, as well as valuable budgeting and treatment planning information for future trials. Overall improvements were detected in data quality and quantity, and in protocol compliance, with a reduction in the rate of unacceptable protocol violations from 10 to 4%. Audit design, staff education and increased data management resources were identified as the main contributing factors to these improvements. In addition, a budget estimate of $100 per patient has been proposed for conducting similar technical audits. The next major QA project to be undertaken by TROG during the period 1998-1999 is an intercentre dosimetry study. Trial funding and staff education have been targeted as the key major issues essential to the continued success and expansion of TROG's QA programme.

Quantitative Quality Assurance in a Multicenter HARDI Clinical Trial at 3T

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xiaopeng; Sakaie, Ken E.; Debbins, Josef P.; Kirsch, John E.; Tatsuoka, Curtis; Fox, Robert J.; Lowe, Mark J.

2016-01-01

A phantom-based quality assurance (QA) protocol was developed for a multicenter clinical trial including high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI). A total of 27 3T MR scanners from 2 major manufacturers, GE (Discovery and Signa scanners) and Siemens (Trio and Skyra scanners), were included in this trial. With this protocol, agar phantoms doped to mimic relaxation properties of brain tissue are scanned on a monthly basis, and quantitative procedures are used to detect spiking and to evaluate eddy current and Nyquist ghosting artifacts. In this study, simulations were used to determine alarm thresholds for minimal acceptable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our results showed that spiking artifact was the most frequently observed type of artifact. Overall, Trio scanners exhibited less eddy current distortion than GE scanners, which in turn showed less distortion than Skyra scanners. This difference was mainly caused by the different sequences used on these scanners. The SNR for phantom scans was closely correlated with the SNR from volunteers. Nearly all of the phantom measurements with artifact-free images were above the alarm threshold, suggesting that the scanners are stable longitudinally. Software upgrades and hardware replacement sometimes affected SNR substantially but sometimes did not. In light of these results, it is important to monitor longitudinal SNR with phantom QA to help interpret potential effects on in vivo measurements. Our phantom QA procedure for HARDI scans was successful in tracking scanner performance and detecting unwanted artifacts. PMID:27587227

Implementation of R & QA practices in Research and Development programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bankaitis, H.

1983-01-01

DOE has established a number of broad programs aimed at reducing fuel consumption. Several programs address the R&D of ground transportation propulsion alternatives to the conventional spark-ignition engine. NASA Lewis is responsible for managing the effort between the Government and industry teams involving American and foreign companies. Thus, existing NASA SR&QA procedure were modified/adapted to these R&D programs and implemented to assure that the test hardware design intent was met, the hardware was not hazardous to personnel, it would demonstrate reliable operation, and it would help establish the future R&D quality assurance and maintainability requirements. This successful low-cost approach might be applicable to other similar projects.

Development of a harmonised multi sensor retrieval scheme for HCHO within the Quality Assurance For Essential Climate Variables (QA4ECV) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Smedt, Isabelle; Richter, Andreas; Beirle, Steffen; Danckaert, Thomas; Van Roozendael, Michel; Yu, Huan; Bösch, Tim; Hilboll, Andreas; Peters, Enno; Doerner, Steffen; Wagner, Thomas; Wang, Yang; Lorente, Alba; Eskes, Henk; Van Geffen, Jos; Boersma, Folkert

2016-04-01

One of the main goals of the QA4ECV project is to define community best-practices for the generation of multi-decadal ECV data records from satellite instruments. QA4ECV will develop retrieval algorithms for the Land ECVs surface albedo, leaf area index (LAI), and fraction of active photosynthetic radiation (fAPAR), as well as for the Atmosphere ECV ozone and aerosol precursors nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), and carbon monoxide (CO). Here we assess best practices and provide recommendations for the retrieval of HCHO. Best practices are established based on (1) a detailed intercomparison exercise between the QA4ECV partner's for each specific algorithm processing steps, (2) the feasibility of implementation, and (3) the requirement to generate consistent multi-sensor multi-decadal data records. We propose a fitting window covering the 328.5-346 nm spectral interval for the morning sensors (GOME, SCIAMACHY and GOME-2) and an extension to 328.5-359 nm for OMI and GOME-2, allowed by improved quality of the recorded spectra. A high level of consistency between group algorithms is found when the retrieval settings are carefully aligned. However, the retrieval of slant columns is highly sensitive to any change in the selected settings. The use of a mean background radiance as DOAS reference spectrum allows for a stabilization of the retrievals. A background correction based on the reference sector method is recommended for implementation in the QA4ECV HCHO algorithm as it further reduces retrieval uncertainties. HCHO AMFs using different radiative transfer codes show a good overall consistency when harmonized settings are used. As for NO2, it is proposed to use a priori HCHO profiles from the TM5 model. These are provided on a 1°x1° latitude-longitude grid.

A quality assurance framework for the fully automated and objective evaluation of image quality in cone-beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Steiding, Christian; Kolditz, Daniel; Kalender, Willi A

2014-03-01

Thousands of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanners for vascular, maxillofacial, neurological, and body imaging are in clinical use today, but there is no consensus on uniform acceptance and constancy testing for image quality (IQ) and dose yet. The authors developed a quality assurance (QA) framework for fully automated and time-efficient performance evaluation of these systems. In addition, the dependence of objective Fourier-based IQ metrics on direction and position in 3D volumes was investigated for CBCT. The authors designed a dedicated QA phantom 10 cm in length consisting of five compartments, each with a diameter of 10 cm, and an optional extension ring 16 cm in diameter. A homogeneous section of water-equivalent material allows measuring CT value accuracy, image noise and uniformity, and multidimensional global and local noise power spectra (NPS). For the quantitative determination of 3D high-contrast spatial resolution, the modulation transfer function (MTF) of centrally and peripherally positioned aluminum spheres was computed from edge profiles. Additional in-plane and axial resolution patterns were used to assess resolution qualitatively. The characterization of low-contrast detectability as well as CT value linearity and artifact behavior was tested by utilizing sections with soft-tissue-equivalent and metallic inserts. For an automated QA procedure, a phantom detection algorithm was implemented. All tests used in the dedicated QA program were initially verified in simulation studies and experimentally confirmed on a clinical dental CBCT system. The automated IQ evaluation of volume data sets of the dental CBCT system was achieved with the proposed phantom requiring only one scan for the determination of all desired parameters. Typically, less than 5 min were needed for phantom set-up, scanning, and data analysis. Quantitative evaluation of system performance over time by comparison to previous examinations was also verified. The maximum

SU-C-304-05: Use of Local Noise Power Spectrum and Wavelets in Comprehensive EPID Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S; Gopal, A; Yan, G

2015-06-15

Purpose: As EPIDs are increasingly used for IMRT QA and real-time treatment verification, comprehensive quality assurance (QA) of EPIDs becomes critical. Current QA with phantoms such as the Las Vegas and PIPSpro™ can fail in the early detection of EPID artifacts. Beyond image quality assessment, we propose a quantitative methodology using local noise power spectrum (NPS) to characterize image noise and wavelet transform to identify bad pixels and inter-subpanel flat-fielding artifacts. Methods: A total of 93 image sets including bar-pattern images and open exposure images were collected from four iViewGT a-Si EPID systems over three years. Quantitative metrics such asmore » modulation transform function (MTF), NPS and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were computed for each image set. Local 2D NPS was calculated for each subpanel. A 1D NPS was obtained by radial averaging the 2D NPS and fitted to a power-law function. R-square and slope of the linear regression analysis were used for panel performance assessment. Haar wavelet transformation was employed to identify pixel defects and non-uniform gain correction across subpanels. Results: Overall image quality was assessed with DQE based on empirically derived area under curve (AUC) thresholds. Using linear regression analysis of 1D NPS, panels with acceptable flat fielding were indicated by r-square between 0.8 and 1, and slopes of −0.4 to −0.7. However, for panels requiring flat fielding recalibration, r-square values less than 0.8 and slopes from +0.2 to −0.4 were observed. The wavelet transform successfully identified pixel defects and inter-subpanel flat fielding artifacts. Standard QA with the Las Vegas and PIPSpro phantoms failed to detect these artifacts. Conclusion: The proposed QA methodology is promising for the early detection of imaging and dosimetric artifacts of EPIDs. Local NPS can accurately characterize the noise level within each subpanel, while the wavelet transforms can detect bad

Private animal health and welfare standards in quality assurance programmes: a review and proposed framework for critical evaluation.

PubMed

More, S J; Hanlon, A; Marchewka, J; Boyle, L

2017-06-24

In recent years, 'private standards' in animal health and welfare have become increasingly common, and are often incorporated into quality assurance (QA) programmes. Here, we present an overview of the use of private animal health and welfare standards in QA programmes, and propose a generic framework to facilitate critical programme review. Private standards are being developed in direct response to consumer demand for QA, and offer an opportunity for product differentiation and a means to drive consumer choice. Nonetheless, a range of concerns have been raised, relating to the credibility of these standards, their potential as a discriminatory barrier to trade, the multiplicity of private standards that have been developed, the lack of consumer input and compliance costs. There is a need for greater scrutiny of private standards and of associated QA programmes. We propose a framework to clarify the primary programme goal(s) and measureable outputs relevant to animal health and welfare, the primary programme beneficiaries and to determine whether the programme is effective, efficient and transparent. This paper provides a theoretical overview, noting that this framework could be used as a tool directly for programme evaluation, or as a tool to assist with programme development and review. British Veterinary Association.

SU-F-T-232: Monthly Quality Assurance in External Beam Radiation Therapy Using a Single System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, K; Ji, T; Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning

Purpose: Monthly quality assurance (QA) is time consuming for external beam radiation therapy, taking as long as 6–8 hours for each machine. It is due to the use and setup of multiple devices for different QA procedures. We have developed a single system with rotational capability for the measurement of both optical light and radiation which significantly reduces the time spent on Monthly QA. Methods: A single system using mirrors, a phosphor screen and a CCD camera is housed on a cylindrical motor so that it can rotate 360 degrees. For monthly QA, the system is placed on the patientmore » couch of the medical accelerator with the plane of the phosphor screen at isocenter for all measurements. For optical QA such as optical distance indicator, room laser and light field, the optical image is collected directly with the camera. For radiation QA such as beam profile, MLC speed, picket-fence test, collimator rotation, table rotation and gantry rotation, a brass build-up plate is attached to the top of the phosphor screen. Two brass plates with islands of different thickness were designed for photon energy and electron energy constancy checks. Flex map, distortion map and uniformity map were developed to calibrate the motor bearing, camera/lens distortion, and the phosphor screen’s measured response across the field. Results: Following the TG142 guidelines for monthly QA with our system, the overall run time is reduced from 6–8 hours to 1.5 hours. Our system’s rotating design allows for quick testing of the gantry radiation isocenter test that is also independent of the sag of the gantry and the EPID. Conclusion: Our system significantly shortens the time needed for monthly QA by unifying the tests with a single system. Future work will be focused on extending the technology to Brachytherapy, IMRT and proton therapy QAs. This work is funded in part by a sponsor research grant from JPLC who owns the Raven technology. John Wong is a co-founder of JPLC.« less

23 CFR 637.207 - Quality assurance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Quality assurance program. 637.207 Section 637.207... CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION AND APPROVAL Quality Assurance Procedures for Construction § 637.207 Quality assurance program. (a) Each STD's quality assurance program shall provide for an acceptance program and an...

40 CFR 31.45 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 31.45 Section 31.45... Requirements Reports, Records, Retention, and Enforcement § 31.45 Quality assurance. If the grantee's project... quality assurance practices consisting of policies, procedures, specifications, standards, and...

10 CFR 72.140 - Quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Quality assurance requirements. 72.140 Section 72.140... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.140 Quality assurance requirements. (a) Purpose. This subpart describes quality assurance...

10 CFR 72.140 - Quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quality assurance requirements. 72.140 Section 72.140... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.140 Quality assurance requirements. (a) Purpose. This subpart describes quality assurance...

10 CFR 72.140 - Quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Quality assurance requirements. 72.140 Section 72.140... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.140 Quality assurance requirements. (a) Purpose. This subpart describes quality assurance...

10 CFR 72.140 - Quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Quality assurance requirements. 72.140 Section 72.140... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.140 Quality assurance requirements. (a) Purpose. This subpart describes quality assurance...

10 CFR 72.140 - Quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Quality assurance requirements. 72.140 Section 72.140... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.140 Quality assurance requirements. (a) Purpose. This subpart describes quality assurance...

10 CFR 71.103 - Quality assurance organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... contractors, agents, or consultants, the work of establishing and executing the quality assurance program, or... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Quality assurance organization. 71.103 Section 71.103... Quality Assurance § 71.103 Quality assurance organization. (a) The licensee, 2 certificate holder, and...

10 CFR 71.103 - Quality assurance organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... contractors, agents, or consultants, the work of establishing and executing the quality assurance program, or... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Quality assurance organization. 71.103 Section 71.103... Quality Assurance § 71.103 Quality assurance organization. (a) The licensee, 2 certificate holder, and...

10 CFR 71.103 - Quality assurance organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... contractors, agents, or consultants, the work of establishing and executing the quality assurance program, or... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Quality assurance organization. 71.103 Section 71.103... Quality Assurance § 71.103 Quality assurance organization. (a) The licensee, 2 certificate holder, and...

From Field Notes to Data Portal - A Scalable Data QA/QC Framework for Tower Networks: Progress and Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturtevant, C.; Hackley, S.; Lee, R.; Holling, G.; Bonarrigo, S.

2017-12-01

Quality assurance and control (QA/QC) is one of the most important yet challenging aspects of producing research-quality data. Data quality issues are multi-faceted, including sensor malfunctions, unmet theoretical assumptions, and measurement interference from humans or the natural environment. Tower networks such as Ameriflux, ICOS, and NEON continue to grow in size and sophistication, yet tools for robust, efficient, scalable QA/QC have lagged. Quality control remains a largely manual process heavily relying on visual inspection of data. In addition, notes of measurement interference are often recorded on paper without an explicit pathway to data flagging. As such, an increase in network size requires a near-proportional increase in personnel devoted to QA/QC, quickly stressing the human resources available. We present a scalable QA/QC framework in development for NEON that combines the efficiency and standardization of automated checks with the power and flexibility of human review. This framework includes fast-response monitoring of sensor health, a mobile application for electronically recording maintenance activities, traditional point-based automated quality flagging, and continuous monitoring of quality outcomes and longer-term holistic evaluations. This framework maintains the traceability of quality information along the entirety of the data generation pipeline, and explicitly links field reports of measurement interference to quality flagging. Preliminary results show that data quality can be effectively monitored and managed for a multitude of sites with a small group of QA/QC staff. Several components of this framework are open-source, including a R-Shiny application for efficiently monitoring, synthesizing, and investigating data quality issues.

EPA Geospatial Quality Council Strategic and Implementation Plan 2010 to 2015

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Geospatial Quality Council (GQC) was created to promote and provide Quality Assurance guidance for the development, use, and products of geospatial science. The GQC was created when the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geospatial communities was recognized. ...

10 CFR 76.93 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Quality assurance. 76.93 Section 76.93 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.93 Quality assurance. The Corporation shall establish, maintain, and execute a quality assurance program satisfying each of...

10 CFR 76.93 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Quality assurance. 76.93 Section 76.93 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.93 Quality assurance. The Corporation shall establish, maintain, and execute a quality assurance program satisfying each of...

10 CFR 76.93 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Quality assurance. 76.93 Section 76.93 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.93 Quality assurance. The Corporation shall establish, maintain, and execute a quality assurance program satisfying each of...

10 CFR 76.93 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Quality assurance. 76.93 Section 76.93 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.93 Quality assurance. The Corporation shall establish, maintain, and execute a quality assurance program satisfying each of...

10 CFR 76.93 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quality assurance. 76.93 Section 76.93 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATION OF GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS Safety § 76.93 Quality assurance. The Corporation shall establish, maintain, and execute a quality assurance program satisfying each of...

US EPA GEOSPATIAL QUALITY COUNCIL: ENSURING QUALITY IN GEOPSPATIAL SOLUTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Environmental Sciences Division, created the EPA Geospatial Quality Council (GQC) to fill the gap between the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) and Geospatial communities. GQC participants inclu...

Impact of the introduction of weekly radiotherapy quality assurance meetings at one UK cancer centre.

PubMed

Brammer, C V; Pettit, L; Allerton, R; Churn, M; Joseph, M; Koh, P; Sayers, I; King, M

2014-11-01

The complexity of radiotherapy planning is increasing rapidly. Delivery and planning is subject to detailed quality assurance (QA) checks. The weakest link is often the oncologists' delineation of the clinical target volume (CTV). Weekly departmental meetings for radiotherapy QA (RTQA) were introduced into the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital, Wolverhampton, UK, in October 2011. This article describes the impact of this on patient care. CTVs for megavoltage photon radiotherapy courses for all radical, adjuvant and palliative treatments longer than five fractions (with the exception of two field tangential breast treatments not enrolled into clinical trials) were reviewed in the RTQA meeting. Audits were carried out in January 2012 (baseline) and September 2013, each over a 4-week period. Adherence to departmental contouring protocols was assessed and the number of major and minor alterations following peer review were determined. There was no statistically significant difference for major alterations between the two study groups; 8 alterations in 80 patients (10%) for the baseline audit vs 3 alterations from 72 patients (4.2%) in the second audit (p = 0.17). A trend towards a reduction in alterations following peer review was observed. There has, however, been a change in practice resulting in a reduction in variation in CTV definition within our centre and greater adherence to protocols. There is increasing confidence in the quality and constancy of care delivered. Introduction of a weekly QA meeting for target volume definition has facilitated consensus and adoption of departmental clinical guidelines within the unit. The weakest areas in radiotherapy are patient selection and definition of the CTV. Engagement in high-quality RTQA is paramount. This article describes the impact of this in one UK cancer centre.

30 CFR 74.9 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Quality assurance. 74.9 Section 74.9 Mineral... DUST SAMPLING DEVICES Requirements for Continuous Personal Dust Monitors § 74.9 Quality assurance. (a) General requirements. The applicant shall establish and maintain a quality control system that assures...

40 CFR 30.54 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 30.54 Section 30.54... NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 30.54 Quality assurance. If the... data generation, the grantee shall develop and implement quality assurance practices consisting of...

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT'S FOUR LAB STUDY: TOXICOLOGICCAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF COMPLEX MIXTURES OF DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS (DBPS) AND QUALITY ASSURANCE ACTIVITIES FOR A LARGE U. S. EPA MULTILABORATORY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Office of Research and Development's Four Lab Study: Toxicological and Chemical Evaluation of Complex Mixtures of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs), and Quality Assurance Activities for a Large U.S. EPA Multilaboratoty Study

Thomas J. Hughes, Project and QA Manager, Expe...

A quality assured surface wind database in Eastern Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucio-Eceiza, E. E.; González-Rouco, J. F.; Navarro, J.; Beltrami, H.; Jiménez, P. A.; García-Bustamante, E.; Hidalgo, A.

2012-04-01

This work summarizes the results of a Quality Assurance (QA) procedure applied to wind data centred over a wide area in Eastern Canada. The region includes the provinces of Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador and parts of the north-eastern U.S. (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont). The data set consists of 527 stations compiled from three different sources: 344 land sites from Environment Canada (EC; 1940-2009), 40 buoys distributed over the East Coast and the Canadian Great Lakes provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO; 1988-2008), and 143 land sites over both eastern Canada and north-eastern U.S. provided by the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR; 1975-2007). The complexity of the QA process is enhanced in this case by the variety of institutional observational protocols that lead to different temporal resolutions (hourly, 3-h and 6-h), unit systems (km/h in EC; m/s in DFO and knots in NCAR), time references (e.g. UTC, UTC+1, UTC-5, UTC-4), etc. Initial corrections comprised the establishment of common reference systems for time (UTC) and units (MKS). The QA applied on the resulting dataset is structured in three steps that involve the detection and correction of: manipulation errors (i.e. repetitions); unrealistic values and ranges in wind module and direction; abnormally low (e.g. long constant periods) and high variations (e.g. extreme values and inhomogeneities). Results from the first step indicate 22 sites (8 EC; 14 DFO) showing temporal patterns that are unrealistically repeated along the stations. After the QA is applied, the dataset will be subject to statistical and dynamical downscaling studies. The statistical approaches will allow for an understanding of the wind field variability related to changes in the large scale atmospheric circulation as well as their dependence on local/regional features like topography, land-sea contrasts, snow/ice presence, etc

10 CFR 63.144 - Quality assurance program change.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assurance program information that duplicates language in quality assurance regulatory guides and quality... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Quality assurance program change. 63.144 Section 63.144... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Quality Assurance § 63.144 Quality assurance program change. Changes to...

10 CFR 63.144 - Quality assurance program change.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... assurance program information that duplicates language in quality assurance regulatory guides and quality... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Quality assurance program change. 63.144 Section 63.144... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Quality Assurance § 63.144 Quality assurance program change. Changes to...

10 CFR 63.144 - Quality assurance program change.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... assurance program information that duplicates language in quality assurance regulatory guides and quality... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Quality assurance program change. 63.144 Section 63.144... REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Quality Assurance § 63.144 Quality assurance program change. Changes to...

Pilot program to assess proposed basic quality assurance requirements in the medical use of byproduct materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaplan, E.; Nelson, K.; Meinhold, C.B.

1991-10-01

In January 1990, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposed amendments to 10 CFR Part 35 that would require medical licensees using byproduct material to establish and implement a basic quality assurance program. A 60-day real-world trial of the proposed rules was initiated to obtain information beyond that generally found through standard public comment procedures. Volunteers from randomly selected institutions had opportunities to review the details of the proposed regulations and to implement these rules on a daily basis during the trial. The participating institutions were then asked to evaluate the proposed regulations based on their personal experiences. The pilot projectmore » sought to determine whether medical institutions could develop written quality assurance programs that would meet the eight performance-based objectives of proposed Section 35.35. In addition, the NRC wanted to learn from these volunteers if they had any recommendations on how the rule could be revised to minimized its cost and to clarify its objectives without decreasing its effectiveness. It was found that licensees could develop acceptable QA programs under a performance-based approach, that most licensee programs did meet the proposed objectives, and that most written QA plans would require consultations with NRC or Agreement State personnel before they would fully meet all objectives of proposed Section 35.35. This report describes the overall pilot program. The methodology used to select and assemble the group of participating licensees is presented. The various workshops and evaluation questionnaires are discussed, and detailed findings are presented. 7 refs.« less

A fast and reliable method for daily quality assurance in spot scanning proton therapy with a compact and inexpensive phantom.

PubMed

Bizzocchi, Nicola; Fracchiolla, Francesco; Schwarz, Marco; Algranati, Carlo

2017-01-01

In a radiotherapy center, daily quality assurance (QA) measurements are performed to ensure that the equipment can be safely used for patient treatment on that day. In a pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy center, spot positioning, spot size, range, and dose output are usually verified every day before treatments. We designed, built, and tested a new, reliable, sensitive, and inexpensive phantom, coupled with an array of ionization chambers, for daily QA that reduces the execution times while preserving the reliability of the test. The phantom is provided with 2 pairs of wedges to sample the Bragg peak at different depths to have a transposition on the transverse plane of the depth dose. Three "boxes" are used to check spot positioning and delivered dose. The box thickness helps spread the single spot and to fit a Gaussian profile on a low resolution detector. We tested whether our new QA solution could detect errors larger than our action levels: 1 mm in spot positioning, 2 mm in range, and 10% in spot size. Execution time was also investigated. Our method is able to correctly detect 98% of spots that are actually in tolerance for spot positioning and 99% of spots out of 1 mm tolerance. All range variations greater than the threshold (2 mm) were correctly detected. The analysis performed over 1 month showed a very good repeatability of spot characteristics. The time taken to perform the daily quality assurance is 20 minutes, a half of the execution time of the former multidevice procedure. This "in-house build" phantom substitutes 2 very expensive detectors (a multilayer ionization chamber [MLIC] and a strip chamber, reducing by 5 times the cost of the equipment. We designed, built, and validated a phantom that allows for accurate, sensitive, fast, and inexpensive daily QA procedures in proton therapy with PBS. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Principles and Practices for Quality Assurance and Quality Control

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Berwyn E.

1999-01-01

Quality assurance and quality control are vital parts of highway runoff water-quality monitoring projects. To be effective, project quality assurance must address all aspects of the project, including project management responsibilities and resources, data quality objectives, sampling and analysis plans, data-collection protocols, data quality-control plans, data-assessment procedures and requirements, and project outputs. Quality control ensures that the data quality objectives are achieved as planned. The historical development and current state of the art of quality assurance and quality control concepts described in this report can be applied to evaluation of data from prior projects.

INTRODUCING CHANGES TO QUALITY SYSTEMS IN LARGE, ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

To achieve the agency's mission of having defensible and reliable scientific data with which to make informed decisions, the EPA Quality Assurance (QA) community must continue its successful efforts in increasing support for QA activities through personal communication and carefu...

40 CFR 194.22 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 194.22 Section 194... General Requirements § 194.22 Quality assurance. (a)(1) As soon as practicable after April 9, 1996, the Department shall adhere to a quality assurance program that implements the requirements of ASME NQA-1-1989...

Pre-trial quality assurance processes for an intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) trial: PARSPORT, a UK multicentre Phase III trial comparing conventional radiotherapy and parotid-sparing IMRT for locally advanced head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Clark, C H; Miles, E A; Urbano, M T Guerrero; Bhide, S A; Bidmead, A M; Harrington, K J; Nutting, C M

2009-07-01

The purpose of this study was to compare conventional radiotherapy with parotid gland-sparing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using the PARSPORT trial. The validity of such a trial depends on the radiotherapy planning and delivery meeting a defined standard across all centres. At the outset, many of the centres had little or no experience of delivering IMRT; therefore, quality assurance processes were devised to ensure consistency and standardisation of all processes for comparison within the trial. The pre-trial quality assurance (QA) programme and results are described. Each centre undertook exercises in target volume definition and treatment planning, completed a resource questionnaire and produced a process document. Additionally, the QA team visited each participating centre. Each exercise had to be accepted before patients could be recruited into the trial. 10 centres successfully completed the quality assurance exercises. A range of treatment planning systems, linear accelerators and delivery methods were used for the planning exercises, and all the plans created reached the standard required for participation in this multicentre trial. All 10 participating centres achieved implementation of a comprehensive and robust IMRT programme for treatment of head and neck cancer.

ASVCP guidelines: quality assurance for point-of-care testing in veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Flatland, Bente; Freeman, Kathleen P; Vap, Linda M; Harr, Kendal E

2013-12-01

Point-of-care testing (POCT) refers to any laboratory testing performed outside the conventional reference laboratory and implies close proximity to patients. Instrumental POCT systems consist of small, handheld or benchtop analyzers. These have potential utility in many veterinary settings, including private clinics, academic veterinary medical centers, the community (eg, remote area veterinary medical teams), and for research applications in academia, government, and industry. Concern about the quality of veterinary in-clinic testing has been expressed in published veterinary literature; however, little guidance focusing on POCT is available. Recognizing this void, the ASVCP formed a subcommittee in 2009 charged with developing quality assurance (QA) guidelines for veterinary POCT. Guidelines were developed through literature review and a consensus process. Major recommendations include (1) taking a formalized approach to POCT within the facility, (2) use of written policies, standard operating procedures, forms, and logs, (3) operator training, including periodic assessment of skills, (4) assessment of instrument analytical performance and use of both statistical quality control and external quality assessment programs, (5) use of properly established or validated reference intervals, (6) and ensuring accurate patient results reporting. Where possible, given instrument analytical performance, use of a validated 13s control rule for interpretation of control data is recommended. These guidelines are aimed at veterinarians and veterinary technicians seeking to improve management of POCT in their clinical or research setting, and address QA of small chemistry and hematology instruments. These guidelines are not intended to be all-inclusive; rather, they provide a minimum standard for maintenance of POCT instruments in the veterinary setting. © 2013 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and European Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Software Quality Assurance Audits Guidebooks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The growth in cost and importance of software to NASA has caused NASA to address the improvement of software development across the agency. One of the products of this program is a series of guidebooks that define a NASA concept of the assurance processes that are used in software development. The Software Assurance Guidebook, NASA-GB-A201, issued in September, 1989, provides an overall picture of the NASA concepts and practices in software assurance. Second level guidebooks focus on specific activities that fall within the software assurance discipline, and provide more detailed information for the manager and/or practitioner. This is the second level Software Quality Assurance Audits Guidebook that describes software quality assurance audits in a way that is compatible with practices at NASA Centers.

Design of a fused phantom for quantitative evaluation of brain metabolites and enhanced quality assurance testing for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.

PubMed

Song, Kyu-Ho; Kim, Sang-Young; Lee, Do-Wan; Jung, Jin-Young; Lee, Jung-Hoon; Baek, Hyeon-Man; Choe, Bo-Young

2015-11-30

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI-MRS) is a useful tool for the identification and evaluation of chemical changes in anatomical regions. Quality assurance (QA) is performed in either images or spectra using QA phantom. Therefore, consistent and uniform technical MRI-MRS QA is crucial. Here we developed an MRI-MRS fused phantom along with the inserts for metabolite quantification to simultaneously optimize QA parameters for both MRI and MRS. T1- and T2-weighted images were obtained and MRS was performed with point-resolved spectroscopy. Using the fused phantom, the results of measuring MRI factors were: geometric distortion, <2% and ± 2 mm; image intensity uniformity, 83.09 ± 1.33%; percent-signal ghosting, 0.025 ± 0.004; low-contrast object detectability, 27.85 ± 0.80. In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio of N-acetyl-aspartate was consistently high (42.00 ± 5.66). In previous studies, MR phantoms could not obtain information from both images and spectra in the MR scanner simultaneously. Here we designed and developed a phantom for accurate and consistent QA within the acceptance range. It is important to take into account variations in the QA value using the MRI-MRS phantom, when comparing to other clinical or research MR scanners. The MRI-MRS QA factors obtained simultaneously using the phantom can facilitate evaluation of both images and spectra, and provide guidelines for obtaining MRI and MRS QA factors simultaneously. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative quality assurance in a multicenter HARDI clinical trial at 3T.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiaopeng; Sakaie, Ken E; Debbins, Josef P; Kirsch, John E; Tatsuoka, Curtis; Fox, Robert J; Lowe, Mark J

2017-01-01

A phantom-based quality assurance (QA) protocol was developed for a multicenter clinical trial including high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI). A total of 27 3T MR scanners from 2 major manufacturers, GE (Discovery and Signa scanners) and Siemens (Trio and Skyra scanners), were included in this trial. With this protocol, agar phantoms doped to mimic relaxation properties of brain tissue are scanned on a monthly basis, and quantitative procedures are used to detect spiking and to evaluate eddy current and Nyquist ghosting artifacts. In this study, simulations were used to determine alarm thresholds for minimal acceptable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our results showed that spiking artifact was the most frequently observed type of artifact. Overall, Trio scanners exhibited less eddy current distortion than GE scanners, which in turn showed less distortion than Skyra scanners. This difference was mainly caused by the different sequences used on these scanners. The SNR for phantom scans was closely correlated with the SNR from volunteers. Nearly all of the phantom measurements with artifact-free images were above the alarm threshold, suggesting that the scanners are stable longitudinally. Software upgrades and hardware replacement sometimes affected SNR substantially but sometimes did not. In light of these results, it is important to monitor longitudinal SNR with phantom QA to help interpret potential effects on in vivo measurements. Our phantom QA procedure for HARDI scans was successful in tracking scanner performance and detecting unwanted artifacts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing Quality Culture. ENQA Workshop Report 16

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), 2010

2010-01-01

The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, UK), organised a seminar on theme "Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing quality culture" which was held on 8-9 June, 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The seminar marked the fourth annual meeting of the ENQA…

Feasibility study of a lead(II) iodide-based dosimeter for quality assurance in therapeutic radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heo, Y. J.; Kim, K. T.; Oh, K. M.; Lee, Y. K.; Ahn, K. J.; Cho, H. L.; Kim, J. Y.; Min, B. I.; Mun, C. W.; Park, S. K.

2017-09-01

The most widely used form of radiotherapy to treat tumors uses a linear accelerator, and the apparatus requires regular quality assurance (QA). QA for a linear accelerator demands accuracy throughout, from mock treatment and treatment planning, up to treatment itself. Therefore, verifying a radiation dose is essential to ensure that the radiation is being applied as planned. In current clinical practice, ionization chambers and diodes are used for QA. However, using conventional gaseous ionization chambers presents drawbacks such as complex analytical procedures, difficult measurement procedures, and slow response time. In this study, we discuss the potential of a lead(II) iodide (PbI2)-based radiation dosimeter for radiotherapy QA. PbI2 is a semiconductor material suited to measurements of X-rays and gamma rays, because of its excellent response properties to radiation signals. Our results show that the PbI2-based dosimeter offers outstanding linearity and reproducibility, as well as dose-independent characteristics. In addition, percentage depth dose (PDD) measurements indicate that the error at a fixed reference depth Dmax was 0.3%, very similar to the measurement results obtained using ionization chambers. Based on these results, we confirm that the PbI2-based dosimeter has all the properties required for radiotherapy: stable dose detection, dose linearity, and rapid response time. Based on the evidence of this experimental verification, we believe that the PbI2-based dosimeter could be used commercially in various fields for precise measurements of radiation doses in the human body and for measuring the dose required for stereotactic radiosurgery or localized radiosurgery.

A Quality Assurance Method that Utilizes 3D Dosimetry and Facilitates Clinical Interpretation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldham, Mark, E-mail: mark.oldham@duke.edu; Thomas, Andrew; O'Daniel, Jennifer

2012-10-01

Purpose: To demonstrate a new three-dimensional (3D) quality assurance (QA) method that provides comprehensive dosimetry verification and facilitates evaluation of the clinical significance of QA data acquired in a phantom. Also to apply the method to investigate the dosimetric efficacy of base-of-skull (BOS) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment. Methods and Materials: Two types of IMRT QA verification plans were created for 6 patients who received BOS IMRT. The first plan enabled conventional 2D planar IMRT QA using the Varian portal dosimetry system. The second plan enabled 3D verification using an anthropomorphic head phantom. In the latter, the 3D dose distribution wasmore » measured using the DLOS/Presage dosimetry system (DLOS = Duke Large-field-of-view Optical-CT System, Presage Heuris Pharma, Skillman, NJ), which yielded isotropic 2-mm data throughout the treated volume. In a novel step, measured 3D dose distributions were transformed back to the patient's CT to enable calculation of dose-volume histograms (DVH) and dose overlays. Measured and planned patient DVHs were compared to investigate clinical significance. Results: Close agreement between measured and calculated dose distributions was observed for all 6 cases. For gamma criteria of 3%, 2 mm, the mean passing rate for portal dosimetry was 96.8% (range, 92.0%-98.9%), compared to 94.9% (range, 90.1%-98.9%) for 3D. There was no clear correlation between 2D and 3D passing rates. Planned and measured dose distributions were evaluated on the patient's anatomy, using DVH and dose overlays. Minor deviations were detected, and the clinical significance of these are presented and discussed. Conclusions: Two advantages accrue to the methods presented here. First, treatment accuracy is evaluated throughout the whole treated volume, yielding comprehensive verification. Second, the clinical significance of any deviations can be assessed through the generation of DVH curves and dose overlays on the

Modernization of software quality assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhaumik, Gokul

1988-01-01

The customers satisfaction depends not only on functional performance, it also depends on the quality characteristics of the software products. An examination of this quality aspect of software products will provide a clear, well defined framework for quality assurance functions, which improve the life-cycle activities of software development. Software developers must be aware of the following aspects which have been expressed by many quality experts: quality cannot be added on; the level of quality built into a program is a function of the quality attributes employed during the development process; and finally, quality must be managed. These concepts have guided our development of the following definition for a Software Quality Assurance function: Software Quality Assurance is a formal, planned approach of actions designed to evaluate the degree of an identifiable set of quality attributes present in all software systems and their products. This paper is an explanation of how this definition was developed and how it is used.

The IROC Houston Quality Assurance Program: Potential benefits of 3D dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Followill, D. S.; Molineu, H. A.; Lafratta, R.; Ibbott, G. S.

2017-05-01

The IROC Houston QA Center has provided QA core support for NCI clinical trials by ensuring that radiation doses delivered to trial patients are accurate and comparable between participating institutions. Within its QA program, IROC Houston uses anthropomorphic QA phantoms to credential sites. It is these phantoms that have the highest potential to benefit from the use of 3D dosimeters. Credentialing is performed to verify that institutions that are using advanced technologies to deliver complex treatment plans that conform to targets. This makes it increasingly difficult to assure the intended calculated dose is being delivered correctly using current techniques that are 2D-based. A 3D dosimeter such as PRESAGE® is able to provide a complete 3D measured dosimetry dataset with one treatment plan delivery. In our preliminary studies, the 3D dosimeters in our H&N and spine phantoms were found to be appropriate for remote dosimetry for relative dose measurements. To implement 3D dosimetry in IROC Houston’s phantoms, the benefit of this significant change to its current infrastructure would have to be assessed and further work would be needed before bringing 3D dosimeters into the phantom dosimetry program.

Loch Vale Watershed Project quality assurance report, 1995-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allstott, E.J.; Bashkin, Michael A.; Baron, Jill S.

1999-01-01

The Loch Vale Watershed (LVWS) project was initiated in 1980 by the National Park Service with funding from the Aquatic Effects Research Program of the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program. Initial research objectives were to understand the processes that would either mitigate or accelerate the effects of pollution on soil and surface water chemistry, and to build a record in which long-term trends could be identified and examined.It is important for all data collected in Loch Vale to meet the high standards of quality set forth in previous LVWS QA/QC reports and LVWS Methods Manuals. Given the ever-widening usage of data collected in Loch Vale, it is equally important to provide users of that data with a report assuring that all data are sound. Parameters covered in this report are the quality of meteorological measurements, hydrological measurements, surface water chemistry, and similarities in catch efficiency of two raingage types in Loch Vale for the period of 1995-1998.Routine sampling of weather conditions, precipitation chemistry, and stream/lake water chemistry began in 1982. Since then, all samples and data have been analyzed according to widely accepted and published methods. Weather data have been collected, analyzed, and stored by LVWS project personnel. Methods for the handling of meteorological data are well documented (Denning 1988, Edwards 1991, Newkirk 1995,and Allstott 1995). Precipitation chemistry has always been collected according to National Atmospheric Deposition Program protocol (Bigelow 1988), and analyzed at the Central Analytical Laboratory of the Illinois State Water Survey in Champaign, IL. QA/QC procedures of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program are well documented (Aubertin 1990). Protocols for sampling surface waters are also well documented (Newkirk 1995). Analysis of surface water chemistry has been performed using standard EPA protocol at the US Forest Service's Rocky Mt. Station Biogeochemistry Laboratory since

A quality assurance framework for the fully automated and objective evaluation of image quality in cone-beam computed tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steiding, Christian; Kolditz, Daniel; Kalender, Willi A., E-mail: willi.kalender@imp.uni-erlangen.de

Purpose: Thousands of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanners for vascular, maxillofacial, neurological, and body imaging are in clinical use today, but there is no consensus on uniform acceptance and constancy testing for image quality (IQ) and dose yet. The authors developed a quality assurance (QA) framework for fully automated and time-efficient performance evaluation of these systems. In addition, the dependence of objective Fourier-based IQ metrics on direction and position in 3D volumes was investigated for CBCT. Methods: The authors designed a dedicated QA phantom 10 cm in length consisting of five compartments, each with a diameter of 10 cm, andmore » an optional extension ring 16 cm in diameter. A homogeneous section of water-equivalent material allows measuring CT value accuracy, image noise and uniformity, and multidimensional global and local noise power spectra (NPS). For the quantitative determination of 3D high-contrast spatial resolution, the modulation transfer function (MTF) of centrally and peripherally positioned aluminum spheres was computed from edge profiles. Additional in-plane and axial resolution patterns were used to assess resolution qualitatively. The characterization of low-contrast detectability as well as CT value linearity and artifact behavior was tested by utilizing sections with soft-tissue-equivalent and metallic inserts. For an automated QA procedure, a phantom detection algorithm was implemented. All tests used in the dedicated QA program were initially verified in simulation studies and experimentally confirmed on a clinical dental CBCT system. Results: The automated IQ evaluation of volume data sets of the dental CBCT system was achieved with the proposed phantom requiring only one scan for the determination of all desired parameters. Typically, less than 5 min were needed for phantom set-up, scanning, and data analysis. Quantitative evaluation of system performance over time by comparison to previous examinations

A new transmission methodology for quality assurance in radiotherapy based on radiochromic film measurements

PubMed Central

do Amaral, Leonardo L.; Pavoni, Juliana F.; Sampaio, Francisco; Netto, Thomaz Ghilardi

2015-01-01

Despite individual quality assurance (QA) being recommended for complex techniques in radiotherapy (RT) treatment, the possibility of errors in dose delivery during therapeutic application has been verified. Therefore, it is fundamentally important to conduct in vivo QA during treatment. This work presents an in vivo transmission quality control methodology, using radiochromic film (RCF) coupled to the linear accelerator (linac) accessory holder. This QA methodology compares the dose distribution measured by the film in the linac accessory holder with the dose distribution expected by the treatment planning software. The calculated dose distribution is obtained in the coronal and central plane of a phantom with the same dimensions of the acrylic support used for positioning the film but in a source‐to‐detector distance (SDD) of 100 cm, as a result of transferring the IMRT plan in question with all the fields positioned with the gantry vertically, that is, perpendicular to the phantom. To validate this procedure, first of all a Monte Carlo simulation using PENELOPE code was done to evaluate the differences between the dose distributions measured by the film in a SDD of 56.8 cm and 100 cm. After that, several simple dose distribution tests were evaluated using the proposed methodology, and finally a study using IMRT treatments was done. In the Monte Carlo simulation, the mean percentage of points approved in the gamma function comparing the dose distribution acquired in the two SDDs were 99.92%±0.14%. In the simple dose distribution tests, the mean percentage of points approved in the gamma function were 99.85%±0.26% and the mean percentage differences in the normalization point doses were −1.41%. The transmission methodology was approved in 24 of 25 IMRT test irradiations. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the proposed methodology using RCFs can be applied for in vivo QA in RT treatments. PACS number: 87.55.Qr, 87.55.km, 87.55.N‐ PMID

Examination of the properties of IMRT and VMAT beams and evaluation against pre-treatment quality assurance results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowe, S. B.; Kairn, T.; Middlebrook, N.; Sutherland, B.; Hill, B.; Kenny, J.; Langton, C. M.; Trapp, J. V.

2015-03-01

This study aimed to provide a detailed evaluation and comparison of a range of modulated beam evaluation metrics, in terms of their correlation with QA testing results and their variation between treatment sites, for a large number of treatments. Ten metrics including the modulation index (MI), fluence map complexity, modulation complexity score (MCS), mean aperture displacement (MAD) and small aperture score (SAS) were evaluated for 546 beams from 122 intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans targeting the anus, rectum, endometrium, brain, head and neck and prostate. The calculated sets of metrics were evaluated in terms of their relationships to each other and their correlation with the results of electronic portal imaging based quality assurance (QA) evaluations of the treatment beams. Evaluation of the MI, MAD and SAS suggested that beams used in treatments of the anus, rectum, head and neck were more complex than the prostate and brain treatment beams. Seven of the ten beam complexity metrics were found to be strongly correlated with the results from QA testing of the IMRT beams (p < 0.00008). For example, values of SAS (with multileaf collimator apertures narrower than 10 mm defined as ‘small’) less than 0.2 also identified QA passing IMRT beams with 100% specificity. However, few of the metrics are correlated with the results from QA testing of the VMAT beams, whether they were evaluated as whole 360° arcs or as 60° sub-arcs. Select evaluation of beam complexity metrics (at least MI, MCS and SAS) is therefore recommended, as an intermediate step in the IMRT QA chain. Such evaluation may also be useful as a means of periodically reviewing VMAT planning or optimiser performance.

QALMA: A computational toolkit for the analysis of quality protocols for medical linear accelerators in radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Md Mushfiqur; Lei, Yu; Kalantzis, Georgios

2018-01-01

Quality Assurance (QA) for medical linear accelerator (linac) is one of the primary concerns in external beam radiation Therapy. Continued advancements in clinical accelerators and computer control technology make the QA procedures more complex and time consuming which often, adequate software accompanied with specific phantoms is required. To ameliorate that matter, we introduce QALMA (Quality Assurance for Linac with MATLAB), a MALAB toolkit which aims to simplify the quantitative analysis of QA for linac which includes Star-Shot analysis, Picket Fence test, Winston-Lutz test, Multileaf Collimator (MLC) log file analysis and verification of light & radiation field coincidence test.

Improving patient safety through quality assurance.

PubMed

Raab, Stephen S

2006-05-01

Anatomic pathology laboratories use several quality assurance tools to detect errors and to improve patient safety. To review some of the anatomic pathology laboratory patient safety quality assurance practices. Different standards and measures in anatomic pathology quality assurance and patient safety were reviewed. Frequency of anatomic pathology laboratory error, variability in the use of specific quality assurance practices, and use of data for error reduction initiatives. Anatomic pathology error frequencies vary according to the detection method used. Based on secondary review, a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study showed that the mean laboratory error frequency was 6.7%. A College of American Pathologists Q-Tracks study measuring frozen section discrepancy found that laboratories improved the longer they monitored and shared data. There is a lack of standardization across laboratories even for governmentally mandated quality assurance practices, such as cytologic-histologic correlation. The National Institutes of Health funded a consortium of laboratories to benchmark laboratory error frequencies, perform root cause analysis, and design error reduction initiatives, using quality assurance data. Based on the cytologic-histologic correlation process, these laboratories found an aggregate nongynecologic error frequency of 10.8%. Based on gynecologic error data, the laboratory at my institution used Toyota production system processes to lower gynecologic error frequencies and to improve Papanicolaou test metrics. Laboratory quality assurance practices have been used to track error rates, and laboratories are starting to use these data for error reduction initiatives.

Impact of the introduction of weekly radiotherapy quality assurance meetings at one UK cancer centre

PubMed Central

Brammer, C V; Allerton, R; Churn, M; Joseph, M; Koh, P; Sayers, I; King, M

2014-01-01

Objective: The complexity of radiotherapy planning is increasing rapidly. Delivery and planning is subject to detailed quality assurance (QA) checks. The weakest link is often the oncologists' delineation of the clinical target volume (CTV). Weekly departmental meetings for radiotherapy QA (RTQA) were introduced into the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital, Wolverhampton, UK, in October 2011. This article describes the impact of this on patient care. Methods: CTVs for megavoltage photon radiotherapy courses for all radical, adjuvant and palliative treatments longer than five fractions (with the exception of two field tangential breast treatments not enrolled into clinical trials) were reviewed in the RTQA meeting. Audits were carried out in January 2012 (baseline) and September 2013, each over a 4-week period. Adherence to departmental contouring protocols was assessed and the number of major and minor alterations following peer review were determined. Results: There was no statistically significant difference for major alterations between the two study groups; 8 alterations in 80 patients (10%) for the baseline audit vs 3 alterations from 72 patients (4.2%) in the second audit (p = 0.17). A trend towards a reduction in alterations following peer review was observed. There has, however, been a change in practice resulting in a reduction in variation in CTV definition within our centre and greater adherence to protocols. There is increasing confidence in the quality and constancy of care delivered. Conclusion: Introduction of a weekly QA meeting for target volume definition has facilitated consensus and adoption of departmental clinical guidelines within the unit. Advances in knowledge: The weakest areas in radiotherapy are patient selection and definition of the CTV. Engagement in high-quality RTQA is paramount. This article describes the impact of this in one UK cancer centre. PMID:25251520

[Quality assurance in interventional cardiology].

PubMed

Gülker, H

2009-10-01

Quality assurance in clinical studies aiming at approval of pharmaceutical products is submitted to strict rules, controls and auditing regulations. Comparative instruments to ensure quality in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are not available in interventional cardiology, likewise in other fields of cardiovascular medicine. Quality assurance simply consists of "quality registers" with basic data not externally controlled. Based on the experiences of clinical studies and their long history of standardization it is assumed that these data may be severely flawed thus being inappropriate to set standards for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The precondition for quality assurance are quality data. In invasive coronary angiography and intervention medical indications, the decision making process interventional versus surgical revascularization, technical performance and after - care are essential aspects affecting quality of diagnostics and therapy. Quality data are externally controlled data. To collect quality data an appropriate infrastructure is a necessary precondition which is not existent. For an appropriate infrastructure investments have to be done both to build up as well as to sustain the necessary preconditions. As long as there are no infrastructure and no investments there will be no "quality data". There exist simply registers of data which are not proved to be a basis for significant assurance and enhancement in quality in interventional coronary cardiology. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.

A tool to include gamma analysis software into a quality assurance program.

PubMed

Agnew, Christina E; McGarry, Conor K

2016-03-01

To provide a tool to enable gamma analysis software algorithms to be included in a quality assurance (QA) program. Four image sets were created comprising two geometric images to independently test the distance to agreement (DTA) and dose difference (DD) elements of the gamma algorithm, a clinical step and shoot IMRT field and a clinical VMAT arc. The images were analysed using global and local gamma analysis with 2 in-house and 8 commercially available software encompassing 15 software versions. The effect of image resolution on gamma pass rates was also investigated. All but one software accurately calculated the gamma passing rate for the geometric images. Variation in global gamma passing rates of 1% at 3%/3mm and over 2% at 1%/1mm was measured between software and software versions with analysis of appropriately sampled images. This study provides a suite of test images and the gamma pass rates achieved for a selection of commercially available software. This image suite will enable validation of gamma analysis software within a QA program and provide a frame of reference by which to compare results reported in the literature from various manufacturers and software versions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

On Quality in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doherty, Geoffrey D.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss some key aspects of quality in education in the light of over 30 years practical experience of doing quality assurance (QA). Design/methodology/approach: Reflection on three concepts, which are still the subject of debate, namely: "quality"; "total quality management (TQM)"; and…

Rationale and development of an on-line quality assurance programme for colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening setting in Italy.

PubMed

Bucchi, Lauro; Cristiani, Paolo; Costa, Silvano; Schincaglia, Patrizia; Garutti, Paola; Sassoli de Bianchi, Priscilla; Naldoni, Carlo; Olea, Oswaldo; Sideri, Mario

2013-06-28

Colposcopy, the key step in the management of women with abnormal Pap smear results, is a visual technique prone to observer variation, which implies the need for prolonged apprenticeship, continuous training, and quality assurance (QA) measures. Colposcopy QA programmes vary in level of responsibility of organizing subjects, geographic coverage, scope, model, and type of actions. The programmes addressing the clinical standards of colposcopy (quality of examination and appropriateness of clinical decisions) are more limited in space and less sustainable over time than those focused on the provision of the service (resources, accessibility, etc.). This article reports on the protocol of a QA programme targeting the clinical quality of colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening service in an administrative region of northern Italy. After a situation analysis of local colposcopy audit practices and previous QA initiatives, a permanent web-based QA programme was developed. The design places more emphasis on providing education and feedback to participants than on testing them. The technical core is a log-in web application accessible on the website of the regional Administration. The primary objectives are to provide (1) a practical opportunity for retraining of screening colposcopists, and (2) a platform for them to interact with colposcopists from other settings and regions through exchange and discussion of digital colposcopic images. The retraining function is based on repeated QA sessions in which the registered colposcopists log-in, classify a posted set of colpophotographs, and receive on line a set of personal feedback data. Each session ends with a plenary seminar featuring the presentation of overall results and an interactive review of the test set of colpophotographs. This is meant to be a forum for an open exchange of views that may lead to more knowledge and more diagnostic homogeneity. The protocol includes the criteria for selection of

Rationale and development of an on-line quality assurance programme for colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening setting in Italy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Colposcopy, the key step in the management of women with abnormal Pap smear results, is a visual technique prone to observer variation, which implies the need for prolonged apprenticeship, continuous training, and quality assurance (QA) measures. Colposcopy QA programmes vary in level of responsibility of organizing subjects, geographic coverage, scope, model, and type of actions. The programmes addressing the clinical standards of colposcopy (quality of examination and appropriateness of clinical decisions) are more limited in space and less sustainable over time than those focused on the provision of the service (resources, accessibility, etc.). This article reports on the protocol of a QA programme targeting the clinical quality of colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening service in an administrative region of northern Italy. Methods/design After a situation analysis of local colposcopy audit practices and previous QA initiatives, a permanent web-based QA programme was developed. The design places more emphasis on providing education and feedback to participants than on testing them. The technical core is a log-in web application accessible on the website of the regional Administration. The primary objectives are to provide (1) a practical opportunity for retraining of screening colposcopists, and (2) a platform for them to interact with colposcopists from other settings and regions through exchange and discussion of digital colposcopic images. The retraining function is based on repeated QA sessions in which the registered colposcopists log-in, classify a posted set of colpophotographs, and receive on line a set of personal feedback data. Each session ends with a plenary seminar featuring the presentation of overall results and an interactive review of the test set of colpophotographs. This is meant to be a forum for an open exchange of views that may lead to more knowledge and more diagnostic homogeneity. The protocol includes the

Physical and biological pretreatment quality assurance of the head and neck cancer plan with the volumetric modulated arc therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, So-Hyun; Lee, Dong-Soo; Lee, Yun-Hee; Lee, Seu-Ran; Kim, Min-Ju; Suh, Tae-Suk

2015-09-01

The aim of this work is to demonstrate both the physical and the biological quality assurance (QA) aspects as pretreatment QA of the head and neck (H&N) cancer plan for the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Ten H&N plans were studied. The COMPASS® dosimetry analysis system and the tumor control probability (TCP) and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) calculation free program were used as the respective measurement and calculation tools. The reliability of these tools was verified by a benchmark study in accordance with the TG-166 report. For the physical component of QA, the gamma passing rates and the false negative cases between the calculated and the measured data were evaluated. The biological component of QA was performed based on the equivalent uniform dose (EUD), TCP and NTCP values. The evaluation was performed for the planning target volumes (PTVs) and the organs at risks (OARs), including the eyes, the lens, the parotid glands, the esophagus, the spinal cord, and the brainstem. All cases had gamma passing rates above 95% at an acceptance tolerance level with the 3%/3 mm criteria. In addition, the false negative instances were presented for the PTVs and OARs. The gamma passing rates exhibited a weak correlation with false negative cases. For the biological QA, the physical dose errors affect the EUD and the TCP for the PTVs, but no linear correlation existed between them. The EUD and NTCP for the OARs were shown the random differences that could not be attributed to the dose errors from the physical QA. The differences in the EUD and NTCP between the calculated and the measured results were mainly demonstrated for the parotid glands. This study describes the importance and the necessity of improved QA to accompany both the physical and the biological aspects for accurate radiation treatment.

Technical Note: Unified imaging and robotic couch quality assurance.

PubMed

Cook, Molly C; Roper, Justin; Elder, Eric S; Schreibmann, Eduard

2016-09-01

To introduce a simplified quality assurance (QA) procedure that integrates tests for the linac's imaging components and the robotic couch. Current QA procedures for evaluating the alignment of the imaging system and linac require careful positioning of a phantom at isocenter before image acquisition and analysis. A complementary procedure for the robotic couch requires an initial displacement of the phantom and then evaluates the accuracy of repositioning the phantom at isocenter. We propose a two-in-one procedure that introduces a custom software module and incorporates both checks into one motion for increased efficiency. The phantom was manually set with random translational and rotational shifts, imaged with the in-room imaging system, and then registered to the isocenter using a custom software module. The software measured positioning accuracy by comparing the location of the repositioned phantom with a CAD model of the phantom at isocenter, which is physically verified using the MV port graticule. Repeatability of the custom software was tested by an assessment of internal marker location extraction on a series of scans taken over differing kV and CBCT acquisition parameters. The proposed method was able to correctly position the phantom at isocenter within acceptable 1 mm and 1° SRS tolerances, verified by both physical inspection and the custom software. Residual errors for mechanical accuracy were 0.26 mm vertically, 0.21 mm longitudinally, 0.55 mm laterally, 0.21° in pitch, 0.1° in roll, and 0.67° in yaw. The software module was shown to be robust across various scan acquisition parameters, detecting markers within 0.15 mm translationally in kV acquisitions and within 0.5 mm translationally and 0.3° rotationally across CBCT acquisitions with significant variations in voxel size. Agreement with vendor registration methods was well within 0.5 mm; differences were not statistically significant. As compared to the current two-step approach, the proposed

10 CFR 71.103 - Quality assurance organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Quality assurance organization. 71.103 Section 71.103... Quality Assurance § 71.103 Quality assurance organization. (a) The licensee, 2 certificate holder, and... that are important to safety have been correctly performed. (c) The persons and organizations...

10 CFR 71.103 - Quality assurance organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quality assurance organization. 71.103 Section 71.103... Quality Assurance § 71.103 Quality assurance organization. (a) The licensee, 2 certificate holder, and... that are important to safety have been correctly performed. (c) The persons and organizations...

10 CFR 71.135 - Quality assurance records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Quality assurance records. 71.135 Section 71.135 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PACKAGING AND TRANSPORTATION OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Quality Assurance § 71.135 Quality assurance records. The licensee, certificate holder, and applicant for a CoC...

49 CFR 180.505 - Quality assurance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Quality assurance program. 180.505 Section 180.505... MAINTENANCE OF PACKAGINGS Qualification and Maintenance of Tank Cars § 180.505 Quality assurance program. The quality assurance program requirements of § 179.7 of this subchapter apply. ...

Analysis of measurement deviations for the patient-specific quality assurance using intensity-modulated spot-scanning particle beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongqiang; Hsi, Wen C.

2017-04-01

To analyze measurement deviations of patient-specific quality assurance (QA) using intensity-modulated spot-scanning particle beams, a commercial radiation dosimeter using 24 pinpoint ionization chambers was utilized. Before the clinical trial, validations of the radiation dosimeter and treatment planning system were conducted. During the clinical trial 165 measurements were performed on 36 enrolled patients. Two or three fields of particle beam were used for each patient. Measurements were typically performed with the dosimeter placed at special regions of dose distribution along depth and lateral profiles. In order to investigate the dosimeter accuracy, repeated measurements with uniform dose irradiations were also carried out. A two-step approach was proposed to analyze 24 sampling points over a 3D treatment volume. The mean value and the standard deviation of each measurement did not exceed 5% for all measurements performed on patients with various diseases. According to the defined intervention thresholds of mean deviation and the distance-to-agreement concept with a Gamma index analysis using criteria of 3.0% and 2 mm, a decision could be made regarding whether the dose distribution was acceptable for the patient. Based measurement results, deviation analysis was carried out. In this study, the dosimeter was used for dose verification and provided a safety guard to assure precise dose delivery of highly modulated particle therapy. Patient-specific QA will be investigated in future clinical operations.