Controle de qualidade em monitores de vídeo de equipamentos de ultrassonografia do complexo do Hospital de Clínicas da UFPR

Abstract

Ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging method that is widely used in clinical practices, with various applications: diagnostic, therapeutic or medical. To ensure that the procedures carried out using this method are safe, it is essential that all the components of the equipment are working properly. The monitor, which plays a crucial role in the simultaneous analysis of the exam, must have specific characteristics to guarantee correct diagnoses, according to the application. Quality control (QC) is therefore necessary. The aim of this study was to implement a QC routine on the ultrasound equipment monitors at the UFPR Clinical Hospital Complex (CHC-UFPR), in which tests were carried out on ambient illuminance, luminance uniformity, maximum GSDF deviation, maximum and minimum luminance, and luminance ratio on six primary monitors. The data obtained was compared with international standards for medical monitors, based primarily on Report 270 of the AAPM (American Association of Physicists in Medicine), and also using the Technical Standard for Electronic Medical Imaging Practice of the ACR (American College of Radiology). The results indicated that all the rooms where the equipment was used did not meet the recommendations made by AAPM Report 270 in the ambient illuminance test, as did the monitors evaluated in the maximum GSDF deviation test and the maximum and minimum luminance tests. However, the luminance uniformity and luminance ratio were satisfactory for those with standard images. These results reinforce the need for periodic QC routines to ensure reliable images and accurate diagnoses. With the tests carried out at CHC-UFPR, it was possible to create a baseline for future evaluations, ensuring that the monitors continue to operate effectively and contribute to safe and reliable diagnoses.