When should Processor Quality Control be carried out?

• A. At the end of each week
• B. At the beginning of EACH day
• C. Midday during operation
• D. After every batch

Answer: (B)

Begin the day with processor quality control to verify the system is ready for clinical use. The processor’s performance can drift overnight due to changes in chemical activity, temperature, and replenishment levels. Running the QC first thing ensures developer and fixer temperatures, chemical concentrations, and the transport system are within spec before any films are processed.

If the daily check shows out-of-spec results, you can address the issue before producing images, preventing underdeveloped or overdeveloped films, unnecessary repeats, and patient delays. Daily checks provide a reliable baseline and early warning, which other timings—after every batch, midday, or weekly—do not consistently offer. A typical daily QC uses a control film or sensitometric approach to confirm consistent density and tonal response, ensuring predictable image quality from the start of the day.