Lesson 5.2 · 5 min

Acceptance and constancy tests, records

Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz

At a glance

Every exposure. Time, type, purpose, body region and patient dose, or the data to estimate it. The dose goes into the report.
Ten years. Records of diagnostic exposures are kept for at least ten years.
Before the first exposure. An acceptance test before first use, a partial one after repairs that may affect radiation protection or the procedures, and a new one after more than two years out of use.
At set intervals. Then constancy checks, primarily by your own staff. The regulation sets no intervals; the authority can prescribe standards.
Act at once. If a constancy check shows deviations beyond the reference values, they must be remedied without delay.

In detail

Records of every exposure

Records of medical exposures must show at least the time, type and purpose, the body region examined, and the patient dose or the data to estimate it. Patient dose information must be part of the report. For diagnostics they are kept for at least ten years § 14 MedStrSchV.

Devices and documents

An always current inventory of radiological devices; their accompanying documents for their whole working life; suitable test equipment such as phantoms for the quality tests § 15 MedStrSchV.
A system for recording and analysing events with actual or potential accidental or unintended exposure; significant events must be reported to the authority without delay § 16 MedStrSchV.
A quality assurance programme with written work instructions for all frequent procedures, taking account of different patient groups such as children § 17(1), (2) MedStrSchV.

The quality tests

Test	When	Who
Acceptance test	before first use; again after more than two years out of use	manufacturers and suppliers for the products they sell, accredited bodies, medical physicists or chartered engineers in the field § 19(1)
Partial acceptance test	after a repair, replacement or adjustment of components that may affect radiation protection or the procedures	as above
Constancy check	at set intervals	suitably trained people, primarily the practice's own staff § 20(1)

Basis: § 18(1)–(3) MedStrSchV. The acceptance test sets the reference values for later constancy checks § 19(3) MedStrSchV. If a constancy check shows deviations beyond what is allowed, remedies must be taken without delay § 20(2) MedStrSchV.

How often is the constancy check? The regulation only says "at set intervals". The authority can require technical standards to be applied § 18(5) MedStrSchV. So check whether your licence prescribes standards, and ask whoever carried out the acceptance test and set the reference values. A general list is no substitute.

How long to keep them

Acceptance and partial acceptance tests: for the whole working life of the unit, at least ten years.
Constancy checks: until the next-but-one official inspection under § 61 StrSchG 2020, at least three years § 18(4) MedStrSchV.

On one quality assurance sample visit, the X-ray log was missing (quality report 2017–2021).

Checklist

Every exposure is recorded with time, type, purpose, region and dose.
The dose is stated in the report.
We know our constancy check interval and what it is based on.
Constancy checks are done, recorded and deviations fixed at once.
We keep acceptance reports for the unit's whole working life, at least ten years.

Quiz

How long must constancy check records be kept?

Only until the next check
One year
Thirty years
Until the next-but-one official inspection, at least three years

Show the answer

The answer is D: Until the next-but-one official inspection, at least three years. Constancy check records must be kept until the next-but-one inspection under § 61 StrSchG 2020, and for at least three years if that inspection comes sooner (§ 18(4) MedStrSchV).

Sources

This lesson's statements rest on:

Not legal advice. What counts is the acts and regulations in the Federal Legal Information System and the Austrian Dental Chamber's regulations (read on 7 October 2026). The health minister's regulation with the criteria from 2028 (§ 9b(2) GQG) had not been issued on that day. Not covered are insurer contracts, billing, data protection in detail and the employer's duties under the Worker Protection Act in detail; there is a separate course on those at aschg.globalapps.top. Not an offer of the Austrian Dental Chamber, a regional dental chamber, the BIQG or the Chamber of Commerce.