Cathode ray tube quality control and acceptance testing program: Initial results for clinical PACS displays

The use of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and primary soft-copy interpretation in radiology is growing rapidly. The authors present a cathode ray tube (CRT) acceptance test and quality control (QC) program developed over a 5-year period on the basis of experience with multiple PACS and CRT vendors. The CRT QC procedures address monitor cleanliness and setup, qualitative image quality, and quantitative luminance and color measurements. Required materials include a photometer with luminance and color probes and 100%-video, flat-field window and test images from the Society of Motion Picture Test Engineers (SMPTE). Luminance was found to change over time for all gray-scale CRTs examined, which necessitated quarterly recalibration. The phosphor color of these monitors was also found to change, but changes were consistent and slow enough to warrant only annual measurements. Color measurements were found to be especially useful at initial setup and for CRT replacement. Use of this program allowed standardization of absolute luminance of individual CRTs, matching of phosphor color for multimonitor workstations, and systematic tracking of image artifacts. Implementation of a QC program is strongly recommended owing to the dynamic nature of CRT displays.