Assessment of Compliance to European Commission on Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Paediatric Radiography in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Quality and safety have become bedrocks for efficient and successful medical intervention throughout the whole world. Objective: To assess for quality screening practice in paediatric radiography; compliance with European Commission guide lines for diagnostic paediatric radiography in Southern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: University Teaching Hospitals and private health centres in Southern Nigeria were screened through questionnaires and on-site observation of paediatric radiography practices. The questionnaires contained the recommended parameters of EC in respect of skull, chest and abdominal radiography imaging. Results: They revealed that radiography device (RD) usage had good scores in all medical institutions. Nominal focal spot value (NFSV), tube filtration (TF), Film-focus distance (FFD) had good scores only in public hospitals. Automatic exposure control (AEC) had good scores only in private health centres. Quality assurance was good for public hospitals. Most of X-ray machines were manufactured 31 years ago and installed about 37 years ago. Conclusion: University Teaching Hospitals had fair compliance to EC recommendations than private health centres. The poor compliance was probably due to lack of proficient radiography technologists, lack of adequate information necessary in carrying out paediatric radiography, use of obsolete equipment or lack of incentives.