A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system
In the field of preclinical radiotherapy, many new developments were driven by technical innovations. To make research of different groups comparable in that context and reliable, high quality has to be maintained. Therefore, standardized protocols and programs should be used. Here we present a guid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939388922000320 |
| _version_ | 1797385292424937472 |
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| author | Severin Kampfer Manuela A. Duda Sophie Dobiasch Stephanie E. Combs Jan J. Wilkens |
| author_facet | Severin Kampfer Manuela A. Duda Sophie Dobiasch Stephanie E. Combs Jan J. Wilkens |
| author_sort | Severin Kampfer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the field of preclinical radiotherapy, many new developments were driven by technical innovations. To make research of different groups comparable in that context and reliable, high quality has to be maintained. Therefore, standardized protocols and programs should be used. Here we present a guideline for a comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system, which is meant to test all the involved subsystems (imaging, treatment planning, and the irradiation system in terms of geometric accuracy and dosimetric aspects) as well as the complete procedure (end-to-end test) in a time efficient way. The suggestions are developed on a Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) from Xstrahl (Xstrahl Ltd., Camberley, UK) and are presented together with proposed frequencies (from monthly to yearly) and experiences on the duration of each test. All output and energy related measurements showed stable results within small variation. Also, the motorized parts (couch, gantry) and other geometrical alignments were very stable. For the checks of the imaging system, the results are highly dependent on the chosen protocol and differ according to the settings. We received nevertheless stable and comparably good results for our mainly used protocol. All investigated aspects of treatment planning were exactly fulfilled and also the end-to-end test showed satisfying values. The mean overall time we needed for our checks to have a well monitored machine is less than two hours per month. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ca4beca8a8f478c859aaaace0cb2afc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0939-3889 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ca4beca8a8f478c859aaaace0cb2afc2023-12-20T07:33:16ZengElsevierZeitschrift für Medizinische Physik0939-38892022-08-01323261272A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation systemSeverin Kampfer0Manuela A. Duda1Sophie Dobiasch2Stephanie E. Combs3Jan J. Wilkens4Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, Germany; Physics Department, Technical University of Munich (TUM), James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748, Garching, Germany; Corresponding author: Severin Kampfer, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Klinik und Poliklinik für RadioOnkologie und Strahlentherapie, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 München, Germany.Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, Germany; Physics Department, Technical University of Munich (TUM), James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748, Garching, GermanyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, Germany; Institute of Radiation Medicine (IRM), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, GermanyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, Germany; Institute of Radiation Medicine (IRM), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich, GermanyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, Germany; Physics Department, Technical University of Munich (TUM), James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748, Garching, GermanyIn the field of preclinical radiotherapy, many new developments were driven by technical innovations. To make research of different groups comparable in that context and reliable, high quality has to be maintained. Therefore, standardized protocols and programs should be used. Here we present a guideline for a comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system, which is meant to test all the involved subsystems (imaging, treatment planning, and the irradiation system in terms of geometric accuracy and dosimetric aspects) as well as the complete procedure (end-to-end test) in a time efficient way. The suggestions are developed on a Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) from Xstrahl (Xstrahl Ltd., Camberley, UK) and are presented together with proposed frequencies (from monthly to yearly) and experiences on the duration of each test. All output and energy related measurements showed stable results within small variation. Also, the motorized parts (couch, gantry) and other geometrical alignments were very stable. For the checks of the imaging system, the results are highly dependent on the chosen protocol and differ according to the settings. We received nevertheless stable and comparably good results for our mainly used protocol. All investigated aspects of treatment planning were exactly fulfilled and also the end-to-end test showed satisfying values. The mean overall time we needed for our checks to have a well monitored machine is less than two hours per month.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939388922000320Small animal irradiatorQuality assuranceSARRPImage-guided radiotherapyPreclinical radiotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Severin Kampfer Manuela A. Duda Sophie Dobiasch Stephanie E. Combs Jan J. Wilkens A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system Zeitschrift für Medizinische Physik Small animal irradiator Quality assurance SARRP Image-guided radiotherapy Preclinical radiotherapy |
| title | A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system |
| title_full | A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system |
| title_fullStr | A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system |
| title_short | A comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image-guided small animal irradiation system |
| title_sort | comprehensive and efficient quality assurance program for an image guided small animal irradiation system |
| topic | Small animal irradiator Quality assurance SARRP Image-guided radiotherapy Preclinical radiotherapy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939388922000320 |
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