This study critically evaluates the implementation of radiation protection quality control (QC) in Indonesian radiology installations, mandated by the Ministry of Health Regulation No. 8 of 2011, to address the critical gap in understanding current compliance levels and their impact on radiation dose optimization. Guided by ALARA principles and ICRP recommendations, a cross-sectional descriptive study using validated questionnaires, on-site observations, and record reviews was conducted across 15 purposively sampled radiology departments, covering radiography, fluoroscopy, CT, and mammography. Results indicated variable implementation, with radiography and fluoroscopy showing higher compliance (85% and 78%) than CT (60%) and mammography (55%), and significant deviations observed in image quality parameter review (45%) and equipment calibration (58%). A strong positive correlation was found between dedicated radiation safety officers and effective QC (r = 0.65, p < 0.01), alongside an unexpected low frequency of dose audits. In conclusion, while basic QC is present, significant inconsistencies require targeted interventions such as enhanced training, robust regulatory oversight, and regular audits to improve radiation protection and patient safety, with future research recommended to quantify the direct impact of improved QC on dose reduction.
Harahap et al. (Fri,) studied this question.