By October 1, 1997
If you met your initial MQSA qualifications by October 1, 1994, you must then have earned at least 15 CME/CEUs in mammography by October 1, 1997. Failure to meet this requirement will be cited as a non-compliant findings during the MQSA inspection and may require you to work only under direct supervision until you meet the continuing education requirement.

By October 27, 1997
If you are a medical physicist who has been using the degree, training, and experience route to meet MQSA qualifications, by October 27, 1997, you must be:

1. Regulations, operating and safety procedures,
   certificate, radiation protection program, and/or
   correspondence was not available, and/or Radiation Safety
   Officer quarterly audits were not performed.
2. Time/temperature chart, thermometer, and/or processing
   timer were not available, and/or the wrong safelight
   filter, bulb wattage, or bulb distance was used.
3. Protective device tests or interlock tests were not
   performed.
4. Radiation area caution signs and/or machine labels were
   

1. Deviation from approved operating and safety procedures;
   inadequate safety procedures; and/or use of procedures
   not approved by Agency.
2. Radiation surveys (instrument, wipes, or environmental
   sampling) was not performed as required; and/or survey(s)
   were not valid due to use of uncalibrated
   instrumentation.
3. Personnel monitoring records were absent or incomplete
   for time periods or in content; and/or missing data was
   not accounted for by recording an estimate.

1. Mammography quality control, medical physicist
   evaluations, supervising physician review of quality
   control, and/or phantom techniques nor patient techniques
   were not performed.
2. Mammography AEC constant density or mammography kVp was
   inaccurate.
3. Mammography quality control failed and/or phantom failed
   and did not cease performing mammography.
4. Technique chart was incomplete.
5. Records were not available for protective device test,
   

1. Written operating and safety procedures were not
   available to provide adequate instructions to operators
   for the proper assembly and safe use.
2. The entrance to the laser area was not conspicuously
   posted with suitable warning signs.
3. Protective eyewear devices were not inspected to assure
   proper labeling with optical densities and associated
   wavelengths, proper marked and associated with the laser
   product for which intended to be used, proper condition

TRCR 37.30(f) requires certification of biopsy and stereotactic units and refers to the applicable parts of TRCR. An application, physicist's report, and fee must be submitted to add these units, which are then listed on your Certification of Mammography Systems with other mammography units under that certification.

House Bill 1534 amended the mammography certification provisions of the Radiation Control Act granting authority for the Texas Department of Health to become an accrediting body under the federal Mammography Quality Assurance Act. Effective September 1, 1997, the BRC may apply for accreditation body status. Additionally, the bill added provisions requiring a facility to notify patients in the event an inspection finds the facility has committed very severe violations of the law and the state regulations.

From State Mammography Personnel (Kay Koss-Terry on 1/22/97)

When moving a mammography system (even changing rooms within the same
building) a full physicist's report is required for compliance. Ms. Kay
Koss-Terry noted that even if the electrical connection is not "hard wired" but
is a 3 prong plug, a new physicist's report is required. The ACR is in agreement
with these requirements.

Equipment and Materials:

A properly calibrated survey meter, cotton tipped applicators, liquid
detergent, alcohol and/or alcohol prep pads, zip-locked plastic bag or
facsimiles, gloves and elongated tongs or forceps.

Sample Collection Procedures:

NOTE: When working
with potentially radioactive contaminated materials or with large activity
sources such as teletherapy, brachytherapy, or eye applicator sources, the use of
safe radiation handling safety procedures should be reviewed and followed. It is

1. Certificate of Registration
2. G & R Divisions of the Texas
   Regulations for the Control of Radiation (TRCR)
3. Written Operating and Safety Procedures
4. Written Radiation Protection Program
5. Quarterly/Annual Audits of Radiation Protection Program
6. Verification of appropriate Credentials for each person
   operating X-ray Machines (not required for Veterinary
   Facilities)
7. X-ray Machine Compliance test results (Required every 2.5