Societies endorse rules on access to CT settings

Several medical imaging societies have applauded the publication of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association's (NEMA) new CT access rules, which aim to limit and strictly define which employees can change CT equipment settings.

NEMA's XR 26 "Access Controls for Computed Tomography: Identification, Interlocks, and Logs" earned the praise of the Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA), the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), and the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging and Image Wisely.

The new standard enhances patient safety by requiring software features that ensure only authorized operators can change the controls of CT equipment, MITA said in an October 9 statement. NEMA called the access control another step in ensuring that patients have access to the most advanced technology.

Under the standard, specific permissions are assigned to selected uses beyond those needed for routine daily scanning, such as authorization to alter protocols. The standard also contains provisions to lock the user interface manually to prevent unauthorized users from gaining system access.

Finally, the standard contains features that can be incorporated into a facility's quality assurance program, such as recording operator and patient information and tracking changes made to protocols, MITA said.