Xspect
Making Radiology Equipment Safer for Use

In Ontario, all radiology machines are governed by the Healing Arts Radiation Protection (HARP) Act. Its primary goal is to assist health professionals in understanding the risks associated with diagnostic radiation and use it as low and reasonably as possible.

Under the HARP Act, X-ray machinery owners must submit records about their approved plans for radiation shielding, quality test results from up to six years old, an equipment registration form, and proof of staff qualifications to operate the machinery.

Maintaining this vital compliance becomes a challenge, especially when machine owners purchase new or used X-ray machinery or relocate existing machinery. Xspect’s accreditation inspections and acceptance testing assist owners in simplifying the compliance process.

It also advises clients on maintaining quality assurance, optimizing imaging equipment, dosing assessment, and creating innovative radiation shielding designs.

From an industry standpoint, radiological techniques for breast cancer detection are undergoing a massive technological shift. It is transitioning from mammography, a process that takes a 2D image of breast tissue, to tomosynthesis, a technique that fuses cone-beam CT reconstruction with digital 3D image processing to produce images of specified cross-sections from a single tomography scan. Xspect is helping clients make this transition as seamless as possible by constantly guiding them on the new model.

When one of its clients purchased a mammography machine with an additional tomosynthesis modality, Xspect ensured it met radiation shielding requirements. To introduce the device clinically, it also conducted a comprehensive inspection and submitted its report, as stipulated by the Canadian Ministry of Health.

Xspect also supports government-mandated radiation screening programs like the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). It requires eligible women in Ontario to receive mandatory breast screening every two years. Xspect works with every radiology center to ensure their machines are safe for use while conforming to the HARP Act.

Similarly, inspection services are offered for the Canadian Bone Mineral Densitometry (BMD) Accreditation Program and the Canadian Association of Radiologists Mammography Accreditation Program (CAR).
Xspect is on the verge of launching its sister company, RWS Monitors Inc., to lease and sell high-end clinical monitors. It meets all the display quality assurance guidelines and allows for accurate evaluation. It also manufactures imaging phantoms used in clinics for quality control, equipment calibration, dosimetry, and education.

RWS Monitors’ routine calibration inspections help maintain the brightness levels of displays. The calibration process is an essential component of the overall quality management program (QMP) that assists a radiologist in providing accurate diagnostic images of consistent quality.

“We are collaborating with LG Canada to provide top-of-the-line clinical display monitors that are significantly less expensive than market-available products,” says Joseph Hayward, PhD, MCCPM, CEO of Xspect.

Due to an unwavering integrity, innovative mindset, and a highly educated staff, Xspect is poised to prioritize patient safety in the medical imaging domain. Its 40 years of experience in the industry makes it an ideal leader in safeguarding radiological equipment while assuring diagnostic quality.