QA Solutions

In addition to hospital image quality services, the IRIS has developed PC based software programs for quality assurance(QA) of medical imaging modalities and quantitative computed tomography(QCT) bone mineral analysis.

Automated QA

The IRIS developed a PC based automated QA program for CT scanners. This PC based automated QA software provided accurate measurements of the key imaging parameters recommended by the AAPM, CDRH, JMHW and HPA. In addition to providing quantitative values for each test-charts and graphs are provided to assist in evaluation of CT system performance. Data stored from these tests can be used in evaluation of long term performance of CT scanners as well as assessment of their maintenance.

Over the last decade, several scientific papers outlining different aspects of this development have been published. These papers were presented at a number of meetings in Europe, Asia, South America, Middle East and the U.S.

In addition to the CT software, similar programs have been developed for MRI and SPECT scanners. IRIS scientists work closely with The Phantom Laboratory(Salem, N.Y.) in the development of the Catphan ^® CT Phantom, Magphan^® MRI phantom, and the Specphan ^® SPECT phantom. IRIS has developed software which will operate from images of these phantoms.

Bone Mineral Density Analysis (BMD)

The IRIS developed A PC-based QCT software program for the convenient and reliable derivation of the QCT value of trabecular bone.

This QCT technique does not require the use of external calibration phantoms, but uses internal reference tissues instead. Muscle and fat tissue, positioned in proximity to the lumbar vertebrae, are used as reference tissue to calibrate CT numbers of trabecular bone.

An interactive histogram plotting technique is used to determine the mode CT number of the trabecular bone.