Design and results of the survey on quality control of linear accelerators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37004/sefm/2023.24.1.005Keywords:
Radiotherapy, linear accelerator, quality control, national surveyAbstract
In March 2021, the Spanish Society of Medical Physics task group on quality control of accelerators sent an online survey to the medical physics services and units regarding some aspects related to the purpose of their work. The survey was created with three objectives: to weigh the variability in the quality control plans, to establish the degree of adherence to national and international recommendations and to tune the task group criteria with those of the medical physics services and units in our field.
The survey results show great variability of criteria in all aspects and tests and confirm the difficulty of establishing a quality plan for this equipment that responds to the prioritization objectives and is applicable to all the existing circumstances within our field.
A quality control program should be established based on an objective analysis of the failure modes which enables the decision of which tests to include, establishing the necessary resources and optimizing their use. The development of a recommendation generally applicable is not easy, especially if we take into account the existing variety of equipment, instruments and therapeutic techniques developed.
References
Pinza C, Lliso F. Control de Calidad En Aceleradores Linealesde Uso Clínico. 2009.
Klein EE, Hanley J, Bayouth J, et al. Task group 142 report: Quality assurance of medical accelerators. Med Phys. 2009;36(9):4197-4212. doi:10.1118/1.3190392
Kirkby C, Ghasroddashti E, Angers CP, Zeng G, Barnett E. COMP report: CPQR technical quality control guideline for medical linear accelerators and multileaf collimators. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2018;19(2):22-28. doi:10.1002/acm2.12236
Patel I. Physics Aspects of Quality Control in Radiotherapy Report 81. In: IPEM Report 81, 2nd Edition. ; 2018.
Mans A, Schuring D, Arends MP, et al. The NCS code of practice for the quality assurance and control for volumetric modulated arc therapy. Phys Med Biol. 2016;61(19):7221-7235. doi:10.1088/0031-9155/61/19/7221
Smith K, Balter P, Duhon J, et al. AAPM Medical Physics Practice Guideline 8.a.: Linear accelerator performance
tests. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2017;18(4):23-39. doi:10.1002/acm2.12080
Ford EC, Gaudette R, Myers L, et al. Evaluation of Safety in a Radiation Oncology Setting Using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009;74(3):852-858. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.10.038
Masini L, Donis L, Loi G, et al. Application of failure mode and effects analysis to intracranial stereotactic radiation surgery by linear accelerator. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2014;4(6):392-397. doi:10.1016/j.prro.2014.01.006
Jaros D, Kolarevic G, Paraskevopoulou C, Katsari K. [P274] A failure mode and effect analysis of deep inspiration breathhold for left-sided breast cancer radiation therapy. Phys Med. 2018;52(2018):178-179. doi:10.1016/j.ejmp.2018.06.551
Teo PT, Hwang MS, Shields W (Gary), et al. Application of TG-100 risk analysis methods to the acceptance testing and commissioning process of a Halcyon linear accelerator. Med Phys. 2019;46(3):1341-1354. doi:10.1002/mp.13378
Huq MS, Fraass BA, Dunscombe PB, et al. The report of Task Group 100 of the AAPM: Application of risk analysis methods to radiation therapy quality management. Med Phys. 2016;43(7):4209-4262. doi:10.1118/1.4947547
O’Daniel JC, Yin FF. Quantitative Approach to Failure Mode and Effect Analysis for Linear Accelerator Quality Assurance. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017;98(1):56-62. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2017.01.035
Bonfantini F, Giandini T, Meroni S, et al. Application of failure mode and effects analysis to optimization of linac quality controls protocol. Med Phys. 2019;46(6):2541-2555. doi:10.1002/mp.13538
Ochi Y, Saito A, Kawahara D, et al. A novel risk analysis of clinical reference dosimetry based on failure modes and
effects analysis. Phys Med. 2019;58:59-65. doi:10.1016/j.ejmp.2019.01.014
Das IJ, Cheng CW, Watts RJ, et al. Accelerator beam data commissioning equipment and procedures: Report of the TG-106 of the Therapy Physics Committee of the AAPM. Med Phys. 2008;35(9):4186-4215. doi:10.1118/1.2969070
Almond PR, Biggs PJ, Coursey BM, et al. AAPM’s TG-51 protocol for clinical reference dosimetry of high-energy photon and electron beams. Med Phys. 1999;26(9):1847-1870. doi:10.1118/1.598691
