Professional Assessment of Radiographic Image Quality Management Programmes at Federal Medical Centres in South South Nigeria

Image quality management programmes encompassing image reject analysis, repeat examination monitoring, equipment quality control, and clinical audit are essential quality improvement mechanisms in radiology departments that ensure both diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose optimisation. In federal medical centres in South South Nigeria, the implementation and effectiveness of these programmes requires professional assessment. This study professionally assesses image quality management programme implementation at federal medical centres in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Cross River States. A professional quality systems audit is applied across six federal medical centres, evaluating the presence and implementation quality of image reject analysis programmes, equipment quality control test schedules, clinical audit activity, and diagnostic reference level compliance monitoring. Documentation review is supplemented by structured interviews with 52 radiology department managers and quality-designated radiographers. An image quality management maturity score is computed for each facility. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests are computed in SPSS. Available image quality management literature from South South Nigeria identifies absence of formally documented reject analysis programmes and absence of scheduled equipment quality control testing as the predominant quality management system deficiencies in FMC radiology departments. The IAEA Quality Assurance Programme for Diagnostic Radiology and RCR Clinical Audit Standards provide the professional evaluation framework. Findings are expected to reveal immature quality management programmes with minimal systematic activity beyond reactive equipment fault reporting. Recommendations address a South South Nigeria FMC radiology quality improvement network, a shared image quality management framework, and designated quality officer appointments at each facility. Keywords: image quality management, radiology programmes, federal medical centres, South South Nigeria, quality improvement.