Is an intermittently used processor (so called back-up processor) held to the same QC standards as the primary mammography processor?

Yes. Intermittently used (so called back-up) processors used for mammography will be held to the same quality standards as the primary processor(s) used for mammography. It is the responsibility of the facility to assure that the processor is in control (monitored parameters are within the action limits) before processing any clinical images. One way to achieve this is to establish a baseline for any processor that might be used as a back-up for processing mammograms. Subsequently, on the day the back-up processor is needed, the daily processor QC tests should be performed prior to processing clinical images and if the test results fall outside the action limits, clinical images should not be processed until all problems have been fixed and the new test results show that the processor is in control.