How long must records or written logs of maintenance and/or repairs of x-ray equipment be kept?

• A. 1 month
• B. 1 year
• C. 3 years
• D. 30 years

Answer: (C)

Keeping detailed records of maintenance and repairs for x-ray equipment is essential for safety, accountability, and regulatory compliance. These logs create a verifiable history of service, calibration, parts replaced, and condition after work, which helps ensure the machine remains within approved specifications and that preventive maintenance isn’t overlooked. They also support investigations, warranty claims, and audits by showing precisely what work was done and when.

A three-year retention period is the usual minimum recommended in practice guidelines and many regulatory frameworks. This span covers typical license cycles, inspection intervals, and the period during which problems or performance changes could arise and need to be traced back to a specific service event. Shorter durations, such as one month or one year, risk leaving insufficient history to demonstrate ongoing compliance or to resolve issues that surface later. Keeping records for thirty years is generally longer than needed for routine operations and adds unnecessary burden, unless a specific regulation or policy requires it.

When recording maintenance, include essential details: date of service, equipment identifier, a concise description of the work performed, the technician or company, any test results or settings, and the next due date for service.