What constitutes a mammography equipment evaluation (what tests must the medical physicist perform) for a processor that has undergone major repairs or is a new processor to the facility?

At a minimum, the following tests must be done for a processor that has been replaced, undergone major repairs, or is a new processor to the facility: processor testing as described in 900.12(e)(1), phantom testing as described in 900.12(e)(2), and applicable portions of the system artifact evaluation as described in 900.12(e)(5)(ix). The medical physicist must also verify that the appropriate chemical solutions are being used, as described in 900.12(b)(13). If a change in clinical technique factors (for the standard breast) is involved such that the dose could reasonably exceed 300 mrad (3.0 mGy), a determination of dose as described in 900.12(e)(5)(vi) must be done.

 

We recommend that the fixer retention test described in 900.12(e)(3)(i) be performed and, in those cases where the integrity of the darkroom has been compromised, that the darkroom fog test described in 900.12(e)(4)(i) also be performed.

 

Note also that these processor evaluations apply to all processors used clinically by the facility, even those at remote sites (if any).