Department of Health

Key messages

  • Certain types of X-ray equipment must be periodically tested by an approved tester, to ensure that they comply with the relevant safety standards.
  • Regular testing also ensure that radiation sources produce optimum-quality images, with the minimum necessary dose to the patient.

Testing requirements

The following types of X-ray equipment, when used for human diagnostic imaging purposes, have been prescribed by the Radiation Regulations 2017 and therefore require a valid certificate of compliance issued by an approved tester before the equipment can be used for human diagnostic imaging purposes:

  • Plain Film Radiographic X-ray Equipment
  • Fluoroscopic X-ray Equipment
  • Computed Tomography Scanners
  • Mammography X-ray Equipment

The current Radiation Safety Standard for mammography X-ray equipment does not apply to mammography units that utilise CR or DR detector technologies and therefore these systems are not required to have a certificate of compliance issued by an approved tester. The department is updating the current standard to include CR and DR systems. Licence holders will be notified when the updated standard is published.

A certificate of compliance will not be required where a management licence holder possesses a prescribed radiation source, but the source is not used for human diagnostic purposes.

The expiry date of a certificate of compliance issued in respect of a prescribed radiation sources is specified in table 1:

Table 1: Certificate of compliance expiry

Prescribed radiation sources type Date of expiry
Plain-film radiographic X-ray equipment 2 years after issue
Fluoroscopic X-ray equipment 2 years after issue
Computed tomography scanners 12 months after issue
Mammography X-ray equipment 12 months after issue

The department maintains a list of the approved testersExternal Link who are available to test radiation sources on a fee for service basis.

Radiation safety standards

The following radiation safety standards have been specified in respect of prescribed radiation sources:

Reviewed 15 May 2023

Health.vic

Contact us

Our phone service is available Monday to Friday, from 9.00am to 1.00pm or we can be contacted via email. 

Radiation Safety GPO Box 4057, Melbourne, VIC 3000

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