Reduction of defective transducers by implementing regular technical quality assurance tests

Purpose: Transducers are the most common error source for diagnostic ultrasound devices. Therefore regular technical quality assurance is intrinsic to be able to detect such faults at an early stage. With the implementation of a regular technical quality assurance concept for diagnostic ultrasound devices in the Austrian Mammography Screening Program the amount of defective transducers has been reduced significantly. Material and methods: Within two years 198 radiology departments including 237 ultrasound devices and 255 linear transducers were evaluated. Analysis of DICOM images from extensive initial tests, ad…