A national dosimetric audit of IMRT

Budgell, Geoff J; Berresford, J.; Trainer, M.; Bradshaw, Ellie; Sharpe, Peter; Williams, Peter C.

doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2011.03.016

Cited by 60 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…[16][17][18]20,22,23,27,49,50,53,57,60,61 It is beyond the scope of this overview to review all of these and their results, so the following section limits discussion to two areas only. The first is that of beam calibration audit, being the fundamental reference dosimetry level affecting all patients on any specific machine or in any specific centre; and therefore beam calibration audit is also the most widely carried out audit, by number of beams or by repetitions at different times.…”

Section: Results Of Dosimetry Auditsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These have included a national IMRT audit 60 which was designed to be independent of linear accelerator, TPS and treatment delivery method and suitable for a plan from any clinical site. The aim was to provide an independent check on the efficient implementation of IMRT in the UK, identify problems in the modelling and delivery of IMRT and act as a pre-clinical independent check for centres starting IMRT or moving to new treatment sites.…”

Section: Recent National Radiotherapy Dosimetry Audits For More Advanmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

Clark

Aird

Bolton

et al. 2015

BJR

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Dosimetry audit plays an important role in the development and safety of radiotherapy. National and large scale audits are able to set, maintain and improve standards, as well as having the potential to identify issues which may cause harm to patients. They can support implementation of complex techniques and can facilitate awareness and understanding of any issues which may exist by benchmarking centres with similar equipment. This review examines the development of dosimetry audit in the UK over the past 30 years, including the involvement of the UK in international audits. A summary of audit results is given, with an overview of methodologies employed and lessons learnt. Recent and forthcoming more complex audits are considered, with a focus on future needs including the arrival of proton therapy in the UK and other advanced techniques such as four-dimensional radiotherapy delivery and verification, stereotactic radiotherapy and MR linear accelerators. The work of the main quality assurance and auditing bodies is discussed, including how they are working together to streamline audit and to ensure that all radiotherapy centres are involved. Undertaking regular external audit motivates centres to modernize and develop techniques and provides assurance, not only that radiotherapy is planned and delivered accurately but also that the patient dose delivered is as prescribed.

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Section: Results Of Dosimetry Auditsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Recent National Radiotherapy Dosimetry Audits For More Advanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

Clark

Aird

Bolton

et al. 2015

BJR

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“…[20][21][22][23] In this context, the utilization of small radiation detectors is required, in order to obtain enough spatial resolution. [24][25][26][27] Because the sensitivity of alanine detectors depends on the amount of free radicals that is produced by the radiation, a reduction in the size of the detector also diminishes its sensitivity.…”

Section: 19mentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis and characterization of silver/alanine nanocomposites for radiation detection in medical applications: the influence of particle size on the detection properties

et al. 2012

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Silver/alanine nanocomposites with varying mass percentage of silver have been produced. The size of the silver nanoparticles seems to drive the formation of the nanocomposite, yielding a homogeneous dispersion of the silver nanoparticles in the alanine matrix or flocs of silver nanoparticles segregated from the alanine crystals. The alanine crystalline orientation is modified according to the particle size of the silver nanoparticles. Concerning a mass percentage of silver below 0.1%, the nanocomposites are homogeneous, and there is no particle aggregation. As the mass percentage of silver is increased, the system becomes unstable, and there is particle flocculation with subsequent segregation of the alanine crystals. The nanocomposites have been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and they have been tested as radiation detectors by means of electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy in order to detect the paramagnetic centers created by the radiation. In fact, the sensitivity of the radiation detectors is optimized in the case of systems containing small particles (30 nm) that are well dispersed in the alanine matrix. As the agglomeration increases, particle growth (up to 1.5 mm) and segregation diminish the sensitivity. In conclusion, nanostructured materials can be used for optimization of alanine sensitivity, by taking into account the influence of the particles size of the silver nanoparticles on the detection properties of the alanine radiation detectors, thus contributing to the construction of small-sized detectors.

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“…( 8 ) The British group carried out a national dosimetry audit of IMRT to provide an independent check of safe implementation and to identify problems in the modeling and delivery of IMRT. ( 7 , 9 – 11 ) …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A multi‐institutional study for tolerance and action levels of IMRT dose quality assurance measurements in Korea

Kim

Chung

Park

et al. 2013

J Applied Clin Med Phys

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The purpose of this study was to suggest tolerance levels for IMRT DQA measurements using confidence limits determined by a multi‐institutional study in Korea. Ten institutions were grouped into LINAC (seven linear accelerators) and TOMO (three tomotherapy machines). The DQA processes consisted of point (high‐ and low‐dose regions) and planar (per‐field and composite‐field) dose measurements using an ion chamber and films (or 2D detector array) inserted into a custom‐made acryl phantom (LINAC) or a cheese phantom (TOMO). The five mock structures developed by AAPM TG‐119 were employed, but the prostate as well as the H&N structures were modified according to Korean patients' anatomy. The point measurements were evaluated in a ratio of measured and planned doses, while the planar dose distributions were assessed using two gamma criteria of 2 mm/2% and 3 mm/3%. The confidence limit (|mean + 1.96 σ|) for point measurements was determined to be 3.0% in high‐dose regions and 5.0% in low‐dose regions. The average percentage of points passing the gamma criteria of 2 mm/2% and 3 mm/3% for per‐field measurements was 92.7 ±6.5% and 98.2 ±2.8%, respectively. Thus, the corresponding confidence limit was 79.1% and 92.7%, respectively. The gamma passing rate averaged over all mock tests and institutions for composite‐field measurements was 86.1 ±6.5% at 2 mm/2% and 95.3 ±3.8% at 3 mm/3%, leading to the confidence limit of 73.3% and 87.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the tolerance levels of point dose measurements between LINAC and TOMO groups. In spite of the differences in mock structures and dosimetry tools, our tolerance levels were comparable to those of AAPM and ESTRO guidelines.PACS number: 87.55.Qr

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A national dosimetric audit of IMRT

Cited by 60 publications

References 14 publications

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

Synthesis and characterization of silver/alanine nanocomposites for radiation detection in medical applications: the influence of particle size on the detection properties

A multi‐institutional study for tolerance and action levels of IMRT dose quality assurance measurements in Korea

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