Protocol for Regular Quality Control of MRI Scanners in a Clinical Setting

Joost Kuijer¹, Erwin Kist², Mark Hofman¹

A protocol for MRI Quality Control (QC) testing within 15 minutes was developed in a clinical setting including phantom positioning and image evaluation. The set-up consisted of a scan protocol using the ACR phantom, based on the ACR 2004 QC Manual. The images were sent from the scanner to a central server using a DICOM transfer, automatically analysed and compared to predefined action limits, based on clinical relevance and short-term reproducibility. Parameters included SNR, ghosting, image homogeneity and 3D geometric accuracy. Web-based reporting allowed direct feedback at the scanner, while trend plots provide insight in long-term stability.