Here is a short video explaining how to use Excel Pivot tables to review your Exam Name Mappings – This is much easier than trying to do it on the Mapping Tool.
CTDIvol vs DLP – a simple explanation
What do they represent? CTDIvol is based on measurements obtained when scanning either a 16cm or 32 cm phantom. Essentially, it represents scanner output. DLP is derived from CTDIvol, but incorporates a scan length component. Both function as reasonable proxies for absorbed dose but do not represent the actual patient dose. In other words, if… Read More
Plan your Dive; Dive Your Plan
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Andrea Browne, Ph.D speak about the then newly released Joint Commission Dose Incident Identification requirements (PI-02.01.01.A6 standards). Dr. Browne is a Diagnostic Medical Physicist with The Joint Commission and served as one of the primary liaisons between TJC and TJC-accredited organizations as these standards came… Read More
Expanding Your Use of the DIR to Include Fluoroscopy, Nuclear Medicine, and Digital Radiography Doses
Here is an interesting article on the ACR’s Dose Index Registry (DIR). It is titled “Physicist Spotlight: Meet the Chair of the ACR Dose Index Registry Committee.” I encourage you to pay specific attention to the article’s discussion of the DIR’s ability to accept and compare doses, not only from CT scanners, but now also… Read More
Exam Name Mapping Guide – A Useful Tool
Exam Name Mapping in the DIR is one of the most important, yet under-appreciated, duties for those managing their facility’s DIR program. It is important inter-exam mapping is maintained. By that I mean similar studies should be assigned to the same RPID. Sounds easy, but it isn’t for a variety of reasons. First and foremost,… Read More
New Scanner Dose Review – A Unique DoseID Service
Generally speaking, today’s scanners are much more dose efficient than the ones they are replacing. When a site installs a new scanner I like to provide them with an overview of just how their doses changed so they can share their success within the institution. One of my clients installed a new scanner a few… Read More
Featured
Dose Registry Support Services Brochure
DoseID: An affordable, effective, and staff friendly Dose Monitoring Solution
DoseID is an affordable, turn-key CT Dose Monitoring service for hospitals, health systems, imaging centers, and physician practices. Our DoseID service leverages your participation in the ACR’s Dose Index Registry to comply with The Joint Commission’s requirements to create Expected Dose Ranges for every study and then identify individual exams that exceed their expected range;… Read More
Dose Registry Support Services Client Comment
I received this compliment from one of our client’s radiology managers this morning. “Thanks for all the information on this Mike. I appreciate it! I think this program is working well and has yielded some great dose reduction opportunities so far. I also reviewed our dose incidents thoroughly with the JC physician surveyor recently and… Read More
Dose Reduction Success Stories
I want to share some exciting information concerning one of our client’s dose reduction successes. I recently completed an analysis of this site’s doses (Total CTDIvol) from 2013 through YTD 2019. This is interesting because during this time period the equipment did not change. The chart below illustrates what can be accomplished using the ACR’s… Read More
Dose Registry Support Services 