In radiology quality management, which activity focuses on planning and systematic actions to ensure quality is built into processes?

• A. Quality Assurance
• B. Quality Control
• C. Quality Improvement
• D. Compliance

Answer: (A)

Planning and systematic actions that embed quality into the workflow is what this question focuses on. Quality Assurance is the activity that emphasizes designing procedures, standards, and preventive measures so quality is built into processes from the start. In radiology, this means creating imaging protocols, equipment maintenance schedules, dose optimization guidelines, staff training, and regular audits to ensure each step meets predefined quality criteria before results reach the patient. It’s proactive and process-oriented, aimed at preventing defects rather than just detecting them after production. By contrast, quality control deals with checking the outputs to catch defects after production, quality improvement refers to ongoing efforts to enhance performance and processes, and compliance centers on meeting external rules and regulations. Therefore, Quality Assurance best fits the described focus on planning and systematic actions to ensure quality is built in.