Simplified "on-couch" daily quality assurance procedure for CT simulators.

Abstract:

:For most computed tomography (CT) simulators, radiation therapists must remove the flat couch top to perform daily CT quality assurance (QA), and then use separate tools to perform localization-laser QA. This process wastes time and effort and creates the opportunity for accidents to occur. In this study, we tested a simple yet comprehensive daily QA program and phantom that we designed for CT simulators used in radiation oncology that would enable us to use only one tool to perform laser and imaging QA on a flat couch. To construct a modified QA phantom, we attached three adjustable legs and fastened two metric scales (one vertically and one horizontally) to a commercial CT QA phantom. The adjustable legs helped to position the phantom conveniently in the needed position. The two metric scales were used for localization-laser QA, while the phantom body was used for CT imaging QA. We used five different scanners with their designated couches from two manufacturers to evaluate this phantom. Since the couch was scanned with the phantom, we evaluated the couch's effect on image quality. We found that the presence of the couch top changed the uniformity of water's CT number but did not change the visual image resolution; it also produced different, yet reproducible, effects on image quality. The effects were greatest in the section of the phantom closest to the couch top. For a commercial carbon fiber couch top, the variation was within 3 Hounsfield Unit (HU). The effect was couch- and scanner-specific and could be incorporated into the QA acceptability criteria for each CT scanner. By using the proposed program and phantom, we have been able to implement a more thorough QA program while decreasing the amount of effort and time the simulation therapists spend performing laser and imaging QA.

journal_name

J Appl Clin Med Phys

authors

Liu RR,Prado K,Gillin M

doi

10.1120/jacmp.v10i3.2844

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2009-06-17 00:00:00

pages

49-55

issue

3

issn

1526-9914

journal_volume

10

pub_type

杂志文章
  • A novel and clinically useful dynamic conformal arc (DCA)-based VMAT planning technique for lung SBRT.

    abstract:PURPOSE:Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is gaining popularity for stereotactic treatment of lung lesions for medically inoperable patients. Due to multiple beamlets in delivery of highly modulated VMAT plans, there are dose delivery uncertainties associated with small-field dosimetry error and interplay effects...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12878

    authors: Pokhrel D,Visak J,Sanford L

    更新日期:2020-07-01 00:00:00

  • Quality assurance for a six degrees-of-freedom table using a 3D printed phantom.

    abstract:PURPOSE:To establish a streamlined end-to-end test of a 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) robotic table using a 3D printed phantom for periodic quality assurance. METHODS:A 3D printed phantom was fabricated with translational and rotational offsets and an imbedded central ball-bearing (BB). The phantom underwent each step o...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12227

    authors: Woods K,Ayan AS,Woollard J,Gupta N

    更新日期:2018-01-01 00:00:00

  • Dose differences between the three dose calculation algorithms in Leksell GammaPlan.

    abstract::The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dose differences introduced by the TMR 10 and the convolution dose calculation algorithms in GammaPlan version 10, as compared to the TMR classic algorithm in the previous versions of GammaPlan. Computed axial tomographic images of a polystyrene phantom and a human head we...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v15i5.4844

    authors: Xu AY,Bhatnagar J,Bednarz G,Niranjan A,Flickinger J,Lunsford LD,Huq MS

    更新日期:2014-09-08 00:00:00

  • Effect of ROI filtering in 3D cone-beam rotational angiography on organ dose and effective dose in cerebral investigations.

    abstract::The assessment of intracranial aneurysms is increasingly performed using three-dimensional cone-beam rotational angiography (3D CBRA). To reduce the dose to the patient during 3D CBRA procedures, filtered region-of-interest imaging (FROI) is presented in literature to be an effective technique as the dose in regions o...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v16i2.5306

    authors: Göpfert F,Schmidt R,Wulff J,Zink K

    更新日期:2015-03-08 00:00:00

  • A fast, independent dose check of HDR plans.

    abstract::High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy often involves optimization routines to calculate the dwell times and positions of a radioactive source along specified applicator paths. These routines optimize the dwells in such a way as to deliver the prescribed dose at one or more points while satisfying various constraints. The...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v4i2.2530

    authors: Lachaine ME,Gorman JC,Palisca MG

    更新日期:2003-04-01 00:00:00

  • Gemstone spectral imaging: determination of CT to ED conversion curves for radiotherapy treatment planning.

    abstract::The monochromatic images acquired by Gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) mode on the GE CT750 HD theoretically determines the computed tomography (CT) number more accurately than that of conventional scanner. Using the former, the CT number is calculated from (synthesized) monoenergetic X-ray data. We reasoned that the mo...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v14i5.4335

    authors: Yagi M,Ueguchi T,Koizumi M,Ogata T,Yamada S,Takahashi Y,Sumida I,Akino Y,Konishi K,Isohashi F,Tomiyama N,Yoshioka Y,Ogawa K

    更新日期:2013-09-06 00:00:00

  • Estimating and reducing dose received by cardiac devices for patients undergoing radiotherapy.

    abstract::The objectives of this project are to quantify the dose reduction effect provided by a lead shield for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) during a clinically realistic radiation treatment on phantom and to provide a simple model of dose estimation to predict dose received by CIED in a wide ran...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v16i6.5317

    authors: Bourgouin A,Varfalvy N,Archambault L

    更新日期:2015-11-08 00:00:00

  • Development of a stereoscopic CT metal artifact management algorithm using gantry angle tilts for head and neck patients.

    abstract::Dental amalgams are a common source of artifacts in head and neck (HN) images. Commercial artifact reduction techniques have been offered, but are substantially ineffectual at reducing artifacts from dental amalgams, can produce additional artifacts, provide inaccurate HU information, or require extensive computation ...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12922

    authors: Branco D,Kry S,Taylor P,Rong J,Zhang X,Peterson C,Frank S,Followill D

    更新日期:2020-08-01 00:00:00

  • Introduction to passive electron intensity modulation.

    abstract::This work introduces a new technology for electron intensity modulation, which uses small area island blocks within the collimating aperture and small area island apertures in the collimating insert. Due to multiple Coulomb scattering, electrons contribute dose under island blocks and lateral to island apertures. By s...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12163

    authors: Hogstrom KR,Carver RL,Chambers EL,Erhart K

    更新日期:2017-11-01 00:00:00

  • AAPM Task Group 103 report on peer review in clinical radiation oncology physics.

    abstract::This report provides guidelines for a peer review process between two clinical radiation oncology physicists. While the Task Group's work was primarily focused on ensuring timely and productive independent reviews for physicists in solo practice, these guidelines may also be appropriate for physicists in a group setti...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章,实务指引

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v6i4.2142

    authors: Halvorsen PH,Das IJ,Fraser M,Freedman DJ,Rice RE 3rd,Ibbott GS,Parsai EI,Robin TT Jr,Thomadsen BR,American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

    更新日期:2005-10-01 00:00:00

  • Independent review of 4DCT scans used for SABR treatment planning.

    abstract::Four-dimensional computerized tomography (4DCT) is required for stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) of mobile targets to account for tumor motion during treatment planning and delivery. In this study, we report on the impact of an image review quality assurance process performed prior to treatment planning ...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12825

    authors: Antony R,Lonski P,Ungureanu E,Hardcastle N,Yeo A,Siva S,Kron T

    更新日期:2020-03-01 00:00:00

  • Effect of skull shape approximations in Gamma Knife dose calculations.

    abstract::Doses in Leksell GammaPlan (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) are calculated for each shot by summing the contribution from the 201 radiation beams emitted by the Gamma Knife (Elekta), weighted for attenuation in the tissue traversed. The patient's head is modeled based on 24 skull measurements, from which the depth to the c...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v8i3.2377

    authors: Berndt A,Beck J

    更新日期:2007-07-17 00:00:00

  • Photon and electron backscatter dose and energy spectrum analysis around Lipiodol using flattened and unflattened beams.

    abstract:PURPOSE:The aim of the current study was to evaluate the backscatter dose and energy spectrum from the Lipiodol with flattening filter (FF) and flattening filter-free (FFF) beams. Moreover, the backscatter range, that was defined as the backscatter distance (BD) are revealed. METHODS:6 MVX FF and FFF beams were delive...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12560

    authors: Kawahara D,Ozawa S,Kimura T,Saito A,Nakashima T,Ohno Y,Murakami Y,Nagata Y,Shiinoki T

    更新日期:2019-06-01 00:00:00

  • Applying three different methods of measuring CTDIfree air to the extended CTDI formalism for wide-beam scanners (IEC 60601-2-44): A comparative study.

    abstract:PURPOSE:The weighted CT dose index (CTDIw ) has been extended for a nominal total collimation width (nT) greater than 40 mm and relies on measurements of CTDIfreeair. The purpose of this work was to compare three methods of measuring CTDIfreeair and subsequent calculations of CTDIw to investigate their clinical appropr...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12363

    authors: Bujila R,Kull L,Danielsson M,Andersson J

    更新日期:2018-07-01 00:00:00

  • Setup errors in radiation therapy for thoracic tumor patients of different body mass index.

    abstract:PURPOSE:To assess the setup errors in radiation therapy for thoracic tumors patients of different somatotypes, and to seek an individualized mathematical basis for defining the planning target volume (PTV). METHODS:Sixty patients with thoracic tumors were divided into four somatotypes according to their body mass inde...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12270

    authors: Zhao J,Zhang M,Zhai F,Wang H,Li X

    更新日期:2018-05-01 00:00:00

  • On the use of bolus for pacemaker dose measurement and reduction in radiation therapy.

    abstract::Special attention is required in planning and administering radiation therapy to patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as pacemaker and defibrillator. The range of dose to CIEDs that can induce malfunction is large among CIEDs. Clinically significant defects have been reported at dose as l...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12229

    authors: Yan H,Guo F,Zhu D,Stryker S,Trumpore S,Roberts K,Higgins S,Nath R,Chen Z,Liu W

    更新日期:2018-01-01 00:00:00

  • Combination effects of tissue heterogeneity and geometric targeting error in stereotactic body radiotherapy for lung cancer using CyberKnife.

    abstract::We have investigated the combined effect of tissue heterogeneity and its variation associated with geometric error in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer. The treatment plans for eight lung cancer patients were calculated using effective path length (EPL) correction and Monte Carlo (MC) algorithms, w...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v16i5.5397

    authors: Kang KM,Jeong BK,Choi HS,Yoo SH,Hwang UJ,Lim YK,Jeong H

    更新日期:2015-09-08 00:00:00

  • Implementation of full/half bowtie filter models in a commercial treatment planning system for kilovoltage cone-beam CT dose estimations.

    abstract::The purpose of this study was to implement full/half bowtie filter models in a com-mercial treatment planning system (TPS) to calculate kilovoltage (kV) cone-beam CT (CBCT) doses of Varian On-Board Imager (OBI) kV X-ray imaging system. The full/half bowtie filter models were created as compensators in Pinnacle TPS usi...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v17i2.5988

    authors: Kim S,Alaei P

    更新日期:2016-03-08 00:00:00

  • Dose perturbation in the radiotherapy of breast cancer patients implanted with the Magna-Site: a Monte Carlo study.

    abstract::External beam radiation therapy (RT) is often offered to breast cancer patients after surgical mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction with silicone implants. In some cases, the RT is administered while the patient is still implanted with a temporary tissue expander including a high-density metallic port, which i...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v12i2.3295

    authors: Chatzigiannis C,Lymperopoulou G,Sandilos P,Dardoufas C,Yakoumakis E,Georgiou E,Karaiskos P

    更新日期:2011-01-19 00:00:00

  • A study on image quality provided by a kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography.

    abstract::The image-guided radiotherapy technique (IGRT) makes use of imaging devices to verify the positions of the target volume and organs at risk during the treatment sessions. In this work we evaluate the image quality provided by an imaging system based on a kilovoltage cone-beam CT, and explore its ability to perform IGR...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v14i1.3888

    authors: Garayoa J,Castro P

    更新日期:2013-01-07 00:00:00

  • Dosimetric comparison of three intensity-modulated radiation therapies for left breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery.

    abstract:PURPOSE:This study aimed to evaluate dosimetric differences of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in target and normal tissues after breast-conserving surgery. METHODS:IMRT five-field plan I, IMRT six-field plan II, and field-in-field-direct machine parameter optimization-IMRT plan III were designed for each...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12287

    authors: Zhang HW,Hu B,Xie C,Wang YL

    更新日期:2018-05-01 00:00:00

  • Stereotactic radiotherapy of appropriately selected meningiomas and metastatic brain tumor beds with gamma knife icon versus volumetric modulated arc therapy.

    abstract:PURPOSE:To determine if the gamma knife icon (GKI) can provide superior stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) dose distributions for appropriately selected meningioma and post-resection brain tumor bed treatments to volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). MATERIALS AND METHODS:Appropriately selected targets were not proxim...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.13100

    authors: Buatti JS,Buatti JM,Yaddanapudi S,Pennington EC,Wang D,Gross B,St-Aubin JJ,Hyer DE,Smith MC,Flynn RT

    更新日期:2020-12-01 00:00:00

  • Accuracy of one algorithm used to modify a planned DVH with data from actual dose delivery.

    abstract::Detection and accurate quantification of treatment delivery errors is important in radiation therapy. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of DVH based QA in quantifying delivery errors. Eighteen previously treated VMAT plans (prostate, H&N, and brain) were randomly chosen for this study. Conventional IMRT deliver...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v17i5.6344

    authors: Ma T,Podgorsak MB,Kumaraswamy LK

    更新日期:2016-09-08 00:00:00

  • Utilization of a 3D printer to fabricate boluses used for electron therapy of skin lesions of the eye canthi.

    abstract::This work describes the use of 3D printing technology to create individualized boluses for patients treated with electron beam therapy for skin lesions of the eye canthi. It aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of 3D-printed over manually fabricated paraffin boluses. The study involved 11 patients for whom the const...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12013

    authors: Łukowiak M,Jezierska K,Boehlke M,Więcko M,Łukowiak A,Podraza W,Lewocki M,Masojć B,Falco M

    更新日期:2017-01-01 00:00:00

  • Failure mode and effects analysis: A community practice perspective.

    abstract:PURPOSE:To report our early experiences with failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) in a community practice setting. METHODS:The FMEA facilitator received extensive training at the AAPM Summer School. Early efforts focused on department education and emphasized the need for process evaluation in the context of high ...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12190

    authors: Schuller BW,Burns A,Ceilley EA,King A,LeTourneau J,Markovic A,Sterkel L,Taplin B,Wanner J,Albert JM

    更新日期:2017-11-01 00:00:00

  • A dosimetric comparison of stereotactic body radiation therapy techniques for lung cancer: robotic versus conventional linac-based systems.

    abstract::The aim of this study is to compare the dosimetric characteristics of robotic and conventional linac-based SBRT techniques for lung cancer, and to provide planning guidance for each modality. Eight patients who received linac-based SBRT were retrospectively included in this study. A dose of 60 Gy given in three fracti...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v11i3.3223

    authors: Ding C,Chang CH,Haslam J,Timmerman R,Solberg T

    更新日期:2010-06-29 00:00:00

  • Defining internal target volume using positron emission tomography for radiation therapy planning of moving lung tumors.

    abstract::Substantial disagreement exists over appropriate PET segmentation techniques for non-small cell lung cancer. Currently, no segmentation algorithm explicitly considers tumor motion in determining tumor borders. We developed an automatic PET segmentation model as a function of target volume, motion extent, and source-to...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v15i1.4600

    authors: Riegel AC,Bucci MK,Mawlawi OR,Ahmad M,Luo D,Chandler A,Pan T

    更新日期:2014-01-06 00:00:00

  • Trajectory log analysis and cone-beam CT-based daily dose calculation to investigate the dosimetric accuracy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer.

    abstract::This study evaluated unexpected dosimetric errors caused by machine control accuracy, patient setup errors, and patient weight changes/internal organ deformations. Trajectory log files for 13 gynecologic plans with seven- or nine-beam dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.13163

    authors: Utena Y,Takatsu J,Sugimoto S,Sasai K

    更新日期:2021-01-10 00:00:00

  • Standardized flattening filter free volumetric modulated arc therapy plans based on anteroposterior width for total body irradiation.

    abstract::In this work, the feasibility of using flattening filter free (FFF) beams in volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) total body irradiation (TBI) treatment planning to decrease protracted beam-on times for these treatments was investigated. In addition, a methodology was developed to generate standardized VMAT TBI tre...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1002/acm2.12827

    authors: Frederick R,Hudson A,Balogh A,Cao JQ,Pierce G

    更新日期:2020-03-01 00:00:00

  • Evaluation of three APBI techniques under NSABP B-39 guidelines.

    abstract::This work compares two accelerated partial breast irradiation modalities, MammoSite brachytherapy and three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), to a new method, SAVI brachytherapy, following NSABP B-39 guidelines. A total of 21 patients treated at UC San Diego with the SAVI device were evaluated in this compa...

    journal_title:Journal of applied clinical medical physics

    pub_type: 杂志文章

    doi:10.1120/jacmp.v11i1.3021

    authors: Scanderbeg D,Yashar C,White G,Rice R,Pawlicki T

    更新日期:2009-12-03 00:00:00