The Smart solution for X-ray QA
21st February 2017
When radiation protection staff at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon decided to source a new multimeter to carry out X-ray QA tests at their facility they soon set their sights on the Cobia Smart.
A straightforward and simple-to-use instrument, the Cobia Smart offers the simplest solution for checking that the output from an X-ray tube is correct for a range of different modalities including radiography and fluoroscopy.
Andrew Thomas, Radiation Protection Co-ordinator at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon in Mountain Ash, quickly identified the Cobia Smart as a potential replacement for their Unfors Raysafe meters which were gradually becoming unserviceable. Fortunately Southern Scientific were ideally placed to provide Andrew and his team with a Cobia Smart for a trail period. This enabled them to carry out their duties without delay whilst at the same time determine if the new instrument suited their day to day operations.
Ysbyty Cwm Cynon is one of a number of sites covered by the Cwm Taf University Health Board as Andrew explains: ”We have two large sites and three smaller sites in a number of locations including Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd and Llantrisant. So it was important to source an instrument that is lightweight, portable and can be used by all members of our team. We also established that we would require at least two instruments to provide coverage, a fact highlighted in the radiation protection audit which was submitted to the board as part of the procurement process.”
Following the trial Andrew and his team had no hesitation in placing an order for two Cobia Smart units. ”All the staff were very pleased with new instrument,” says Andrew. ”We all found it very easy to use. Indeed, it’s simplicty made it much more appealing than our old instruments. It also proved to be very reliable and accurate. Personally I found the large readout very useful, particularly when viewing it from a distance through lead glass. It meant I did not have to keep moving backwards and forwards behind the protection to read the data. It was also very convenient to use in awkward places around the larger pieces of equipment and likewise dainty enough to use in the facilites at the smaller sites.”