Atirix Medical Systems - QC-Track White Paper Case Studies

Automated SPECT Bars Analysis Across Manufacturers

Using QC-Track® to streamline QC/QA, eliminate paper, and reduce TJC and ACR compliance risk.

North Central Chapter AAPM Young Investigators Presentation
April 5, 2024
Grace Hutchinson, Biomedical Engineering Intern

In this presentation, Grace Hutchinson discusses differences in spatial resolution performance across SPECT manufacturers. She also presents evidence to support that automated phantom analysis is more sensitive to changes in system performance than visual assessment.

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Automated Phantom Analysis for gamma cameras and SPECT

A methodology for use in a clinical setting

Narrated summary of published research
November 29, 2020

Angela Snyder, Ph.D., Vice President, Advanced Solutions

In this 3-minute presentation, Angela Snyder summarizes research conducted by the Atirix Medical Systems research team and the University of Virginia Health System medical physics team. The research, which was published in the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, demonstrated that QC-Track’s Automated Phantom Analysis module can be used to quantitatively analyze image quality and resolution of gamma cameras as part of an institution’s routine QC process.

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The Expanding Role of the Physicist in US QC

Medical Physics 3.0 and structuring a complete QC program

MTMI Virtual Hands-On Ultrasound Physics Workshop
June 13, 2020

Angela Snyder, Ph.D., Vice President, Advanced Solutions

In this webinar, Atirix explores the role of the physicist in ultrasound quality control. The presenter provides an overview of the reasons for focusing on quality and safety in ultrasound. She then explains the role of the physicist in US QC, how to use software to structure QC, and how to implement a culture of quality. The presentation includes a case study from the University of Virginia Health System.

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CT, MRI, and Paperless Quality Control

Using QC-Track® to streamline QC/QA, eliminate paper, and reduce TJC and ACR compliance risk.

MTMI Webinar
September 5, 2019

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Angela Snyder, Ph.D., Vice President, Research

In this webinar, Atirix explores the latest in TJC and ACR regulations and the technology available to meet those requirements and be always inspection ready. The presenters provide an overview of the CT and MRI requirements for TJC and ACR compliance, a review of the key tests, and discuss why they are important for image quality. They also describe ways facilities are using paperless QC technologies to streamline QC, reduce paper, and maintain inspection readiness. The presenters also outline the process of implementing paperless QC, explore case studies, and discuss the latest QC research and trends.

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Automated Phantom Analysis for Gamma Cameras

An Efficient, Accessible, Consistent, and Sensitive Method for Quality Control

Oral Presentation, AAPM 2019 Annual Meeting
July 14, 2019

Erik (Tutku) Tazegul, Research Analyst

Atirix has been collaborating with researchers at the University of Virginia Health System to automate imaging quality control tests for gamma cameras and SPECT systems. Erik Tazegul, Atirix Research Analyst, gave a presentation at the AAPM National Conference, introducing our simple and quantitative image analysis package for efficiently assessing gamma camera image quality in a busy clinical setting. The QC-Track module processes the Jaszczak and bar phantoms commonly used in nuclear medical quality control and reliably returns results that are consistent with visual analysis but with greater resolution.

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Paperless Mammography QC and FDA EQUIP

Using QC-Track to streamline QC/QA, eliminate paper, and reduce FDA EQUIP compliance risk.

MTMI Webinar
May 1, 2019

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M)(QM), Vice President, Client Services

Atirix has sponsored the 5th annual MTMI webinar on enterprise imaging QC.

FDA EQUIP is now in its third year, and Level 2 violations are near all-time highs. Atirix provides an overview of the MQSA QC/QA requirements, including FDA EQUIP. The presenters describe ways facilities are using paperless QC technologies to reduce paper and avoid violations. The presenters also survey the latest QC regulations from FDA, TJC and ACR, provide steps for implementing the QC-Track system, explore case studies, and discuss the latest QC research.

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FDA EQUIP and the Power of Paperless QC Thinking

Making the most of today’s technologies to streamline QC workflows and thrive in the age of EQUIP

MTMI Webinar
April 27, 2018

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M)(QM), Vice President, Client Services

Atirix has sponsored the 4th annual MTMI webinar on enterprise imaging QC.

In this webinar, Atirix explores the FDA EQUIP initiative in MQSA and the ways facilities are using paperless QC technologies to support MQSA compliance needs. The presenters provide a review of the latest QC regulations from FDA, TJC and ACR, discuss inspection approaches, describe paperless QC technologies, provide steps for implementing a paperless QC system, and explore case studies.

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Paperless QC: Winners, Losers, and Proven Strategies for 2018 Inspection Success

AHRA Webinar
January 18, 2018

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M)(QM), Vice President, Client Services
Angela Snyder, Ph.D., Sr. Director, Research

Atirix has again partnered with AHRA for a webinar on enterprise imaging QC.

In this webinar Atirix discusses the latest imaging QC regulations and technologies. This year the focus is on the changing QC landscape and priorities for 2018, including 1) FDA’s new EQUIP initiative in MQSA, 2) Ultrasound QC and HLD traceability, especially for Trophon systems, and 3) TJC Diagnostic Imaging Requirements compliance. The presenters provide a review of the latest QC regulations from FDA, TJC and ACR, discuss inspection approaches, describe paperless QC technologies, provide steps for implementing a paperless QC system across modalities, and share case studies of recent inspection experiences.

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Paperless QC: Winners, Losers and Proven Strategies for EQUIP Success!

MTMI Webinar
September 26, 2017

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M)(QM), Vice President, Client Services

Atirix has sponsored the 3rd annual MTMI webinar on enterprise imaging QC.

In this webinar Atirix discusses the latest imaging QC regulations and technologies. This year the focus is on the FDA’s new EQUIP initiative in MQSA and the ways facilities are using paperless QC technologies for the device QC tracking and sign off requirements of EQUIP. Atirix provides a review of the latest QC regulations from FDA, TJC, and ACR, discusses inspection approaches, describes paperless QC technologies, provides steps for implementing a paperless QC system across modalities, and explores case studies of recent inspection experiences.

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Paperless QC: Seven Steps to QC Enlightenment and Inspection Success

MTMI Webinar
September 22, 2016

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M)(QM), Vice President, Client Services

Atirix has sponsored the 2nd annual MTMI webinar on enterprise imaging QC.

In this webinar Atirix discusses the latest imaging QC regulations and technologies. This year the focus is on the increasing number and complexity of inspections and the ways facilities are using paperless QC technologies to standardize QC workflows, reduce inspection risk, and make things easier for QC technologists. Atirix provides a review of the latest QC regulations from TJC and ACR, discusses inspection approaches, describes paperless QC technologies, provides steps for implementing a paperless QC system, and explores case studies of recent inspection experiences across modalities.In this webinar Atirix discusses the latest imaging QC regulations and technologies.

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QC Zen and the Art of Inspector Happiness

AHRA Webinar. See ahraonline.org to take this webinar for one CEU.
April 27, 2016

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Angela Snyder, Ph.D., Director of Research, Atirix
Allen Goode, M.S., DABR, Chief Diagnostic Medical Physicist, University of Virginia Health System

Imaging departments face a complex set of regulations and accreditations, encompassing every modality from mammography to nuclear medicine with sources including the American College of Radiology, the Joint Commission, and many state health departments. Many of these regulatory bodies have inspection processes in place to ensure that the appropriate quality control (QC) activities are being performed on a regular basis. What measures are facilities taking to reduce inspection risk?

These regulations and accreditations typically include requirements for on-going device quality control. It can be tough to know which requirements to follow, much less whether the proper QC procedures are being used on a day-to-day basis and documented appropriately. The key to a successful inspection is to understand the applicable regulations, implement a quality control process to meet those requirements, and capture the QC data within a system that is efficient, secure, and readily accessible when inspections do occur.

This presentation provides an overview of imaging QC regulations including the latest additions and future directions. It describes the implementation of enterprise quality control at UVA and discusses important issues around documentation and the management of QC data. The presentation provides several case studies describing the process and impact of implementing the QC-Track system. It demonstrates the use of the SBAR as a cost justification tool. Further, it provides insight into recent inspection priorities and quality control trends as well as the inspection impact of a centralized quality control system.

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Enterprise Imaging QC: Promises and Realities

2016 Winter Institute of Medical Physics
February 24, 2016

Breckenridge, CO
Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix

Presented to the 2016 Winter Institute of Medical Physics, an annual conference chaired by Marc Kessler, PhD, FAAPM, this year’s presentation again explores the SBAR tool for healthcare decisions, this time in the context of the QC-Track implementation at Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation. The presentation explores the SBAR in detail, discusses the goals and experiences of Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and explores the potential impact of the recent increase of imaging QC regulations.

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Take Control of QC Tracking

MTMI Webinar
September 10, 2015

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, RT (R)(M), Senior Director, Product Management

In this presentation, Atirix summarizes regulations, responsibilities and requirements in today’s QC tracking environment. It discusses systems as they once were and what they can be today. Given the current QC needs, Atirix discusses how their product QC-Track® has helped clients take control of QC tracking and how it can help you as well.

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Doing More with Less: The Evolving Regulatory Environment and a Centralized Quality Control System

AHRA Webinar
May 27, 2015

Steve Backes, President and CEO, Atirix
Rania Johnson, R.T. (R)(M)(ARRT), Director of Product Management, Atirix
Allen Goode, M.S., DABR, Chief Diagnostic Medical Physicist, UVA Health System

Atirix provides a re-cap of imaging QC regulations, including the ACR’s Continuous Quality Control system. The presentation describes the implementation of the QC-Track system at UVA, and discusses device quality control, UVA’s practices prior to the QC-Track system, the functional and technical implementation plans used by the team, operational impact of the centralized QC system, and lessons learned. Several operational case studies describe the workflow changes and impact of the QC-Track system. The presentation discusses the new types of tracking and radiation-safety-related communications and management processes made possible by a centralized QC system.

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Centralized QC for Radiology

2015 Oregon Mammography Conference
May 2, 2015

Troutdale, OR
Rania Johnson, R.T. (R)(M), Senior Director, Product Management

This ARRT-accredited presentation, “Centralized QC for Radiology,” discusses the evolution of regulations, from ARRT to the most recent ACR accreditation programs, and their impact on QC from a technologist’s standpoint. It also provides a case study of the implementation of the QC-Track system at University of Virginia.

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Centralized QC and ACR Accreditation

2015 Winter Institute of Medical Physics
February 21-25, 2015

Breckenridge, CO
Steve Backes, President and CEO

Presented to the 2015 Winter Institute of Medical Physics, an annual conference chaired by Marc Kessler, PhD, FAAPM. this presentation discusses ACR accreditation, introduces the SBAR tool for healthcare decisions, and provides an example of the SBAR as used by large healthcare systems to support QC-Track investments.

The presentation notes that all healthcare facilities face risks from natural and management disasters, and that these potential disasters jeopardize any QC files stored in binders (which are inherently not backed up). Such “operational risks” are an important part of the reason a facility invests in a computer based (and easily backed up) QC system like QC-Track – per the SBAR examples. In light of this observation, the question to be asked is: If an ACR accredited facility is using binders for its QC data, can its medical physicist still represent that an “adequate QC process” is in place?