Flight nurse firsts: the first formal flight nurse graduation

On February 18, 1943, the first class of nurses graduated from the first organized course for flight nurses of the 349th Air Evacuation Group, Bowman Field, KY. The impressive ceremonies were highlighted by the graduation address delivered by Brigadier General David N. W. Grant, the Air Surgeon, Army Air Forces. The graduation ceremonies marked the beginning of a new era in the history of nursing and are among the notable flight nurse firsts.     

Routine quality assurance and results of a diagnostic radiology quality assurance programme

Routine testing of diagnostic radiology equipment performance has shown that more than 10% of equipment has not been properly setup. It also identifies equipment which is deteriorating in use as well as faults which need immediate correction. There is little doubt it is cost-effective and has also been shown to be effective in reducing the collective dose to the population from diagnostic radiology.     

Flight nurse firsts: the first flight nurse killed in action

The first flight nurse killed in action was Second Lieutenant Ruth M. Gardiner. A graduate of the first organized course for flight nurses of the 349th Air Evacuation Group, Bowman Field, KY, Lieutenant Gardiner served in the Alaskan Theater of Operations with Flight A of the 805th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron. Lieutenant Gardiner was killed in an aircraft accident on July 27, 1943, while enroute for the purpose of evacuating patients. Gardiner General Hospital in Chicago was named in her honor posthumously.     

Mammography processor quality assurance

After completing this article on mammographic processing, readers will: Understand the relationship between mammography and breast cancer survival. Define quality assurance and quality control. Discuss the history of the Mammography Quality Standards Act. List the important considerations in processor setup. Name the tests in the medical physicist survey. Know how to perform daily processor quality control. Understand the importance of continuous quality improvement.     

Web-based X-ray quality control documentation

The department of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics has developed an equipment quality control web site. Our goal is to provide immediate access to virtually all medical physics survey data. The web site is designed to assist equipment engineers, department management and technologists. By improving communications and access to equipment documentation, we believe productivity is enhanced. The creation of the quality control web site was accomplished in three distinct steps. First, survey data had to be placed in a computer format. The second step was to convert these various computer files to a format supported by commercial web browsers. Third, a comprehensive home page had to be designed to provide convenient access to the multitude of surveys done in the various x-ray rooms. Because we had spent years previously fine-tuning the computerization of the medical physics quality control program, most survey documentation was already in spreadsheet or database format. A major technical decision was the method of conversion of survey spreadsheet and database files into documentation appropriate for the web. After an unsatisfactory experience with a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) converter (packaged with spreadsheet and database software), we tried creating Portable Document Format (PDF) files using Adobe Acrobat software. This process preserves the original formatting of the document and takes no longer than conventional printing; therefore, it has been very successful. Although the PDF file generated by Adobe Acrobat is a proprietary format, it can be displayed through a conventional web browser using the freely distributed Adobe Acrobat Reader program that is available for virtually all platforms. Once a user installs the software, it is automatically invoked by the web browser whenever the user follows a link to a file with a PDF extension. Although no confidential patient information is available on the web site, our legal department recommended that we secure the site in order to keep out those wishing to make mischief. Our interim solution has not been to password protect the page, which we feared would hinder access for occasional legitimate users, but also not to provide links to it from other hospital and department pages. Utility and productivity were improved and time and money were saved by making radiological equipment quality control documentation instantly available on-line.     

Economic aspects of quality assurance

The subject for the Nicholas Research Award 1983 was prompted by the author's earlier involvement in quality assurance and her realization that there was a need to investigate the economic aspects of the subject. In a comparative study, the paper shows that the running costs of a basic quality assurance programme are probably less than 1% of the overall running costs of an 'average' five roomed X-ray department. Future professional implications associated with quality assurance are also discussed.     

伽玛刀质量保证的日常程序化管理

目的为保证伽玛刀放射外科治疗的精确性和安全性，按照国内、外标准制定了一系列质量保证程序。方法此质量保证程序涉及有关设备和治疗操作两方面内容，并规定了各项措施的检测频率和允许误差范围。结果剂量率输出的误差为0～0．3％（〈3％），机械等中心精度0．26～0．31mm（〈0．5mm），其他各项检测结果均在允许误差范围内。结论质量保证的日常程序化管理可有效地保证伽玛刀放射外科治疗的精确性和安全性。     

The radiology manager's role in quality assurance.

Radiology managers must understand and meet JCAH requirements while making the process as practical and useful as possible. Mr. Lester offers suggestions for accomplishing this in terms of goal setting, system development, problem investigation and documentation.     

飞行中推拉效应的研究进展

目的 综述近年来有关飞行中推拉效应的研究进展。资料来源与选择 国内外本领域正式发表的研究论文和综述。资料引用 引用文献27篇。资料综合 阐述了有关推拉效应的提出、发生机制和对人体的影响、研究的模拟方法和预防措施，并在此基础上提出了今后研究需关注的方面。结论 推拉效应仍是高性能战斗机飞行中需要关注的问题，因此有关的研究应予加强。     

Delivery quality assurance with ArcCHECK

Radiation therapy requires delivery quality assurance (DQA) to ensure that treatment is accurate and closely follows the plan. We report our experience with the ArcCHECK phantom and investigate its potential optimization for the DQA process. One-hundred seventy DQA plans from 84 patients were studied. Plans were classified into 2 groups: those with the target situated on the diodes of the ArcCHECK (D plans) and those with the target situated at the center (C plans). Gamma pass rates for 8 target sites were examined. The parameters used to analyze the data included 3%/3 mm with the Van Dyk percent difference criteria (VD) on, 3%/3 mm with the VD off, 2%/2 mm with the VD on, and x/3 mm with the VD on and the percentage dosimetric agreement “x” for diode plans adjusted. D plans typically displayed maximum planned dose (MPD) on the cylindrical surface containing ArcCHECK diodes than center plans, resulting in inflated gamma pass rates. When this was taken into account by adjusting the percentage dosimetric agreement, C plans outperformed D plans by an average of 3.5%. ArcCHECK can streamline the DQA process, consuming less time and resources than radiographic films. It is unnecessary to generate 2 DQA plans for each patient; a single center plan will suffice. Six of 8 target sites consistently displayed pass rates well within our acceptance criteria; the lesser performance of head and neck and spinal sites can be attributed to marginally lower doses and increased high gradient of plans.     

Instrumentation quality assurance and performance

Summary  In summary, a thorough QA program involves all aspects of image acquisition, processing, and interpretation and is essential to the high-quality practice of nuclear cardiology.     

统计过程控制方法在加速器质量保证中的应用

目的 应用统计过程控制(SPC)方法改进加速器质量保证(QA)工作.方法 应用SPC方法对QA数据设置控制界限,绘制均值一极差控制图,区分随机误差和系统误差.为了方便应用,用Visual Basic编程开发了SPC的质量控制软件QA_MANAGER.针对6MV X射线的输出剂量检测项目,应用SPC方法分析了两个案例.结果 在案例中,SPC方法成功检测到发生的系统误差.结论 在加速器QA中使用SPC方法,有助于发现系统偏差,对异常趋势提出预警,以便及时采取措施,消除异常,恢复过程的稳定,从而达到控制质量的目的.