title: A novel comprehensive quality control instrument for medical accelerators.
abstract: A comprehensive quality control instrument for calibration of medical accelerators that use photon, electron, or proton beams in teleradiotherapy is described. It employs a fluorescence screen, mounted on a central stage with four degrees of freedom, monitored by a CCD camera. A single set-up of the instrument enables one to perform mechanical, light laser, and radiation tests, at arbitrary angles of the accelerator gantry. The new device provides for quantitative evaluation of the tests performed and provides for documentation of the test results in real time. The device provides significant time savings with concurrent improvement in accuracy for tests performed during installation and acceptance processes, and the implementation of quality control procedures for medical accelerators.
authors.affiliation: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Medical Department, Upton, New York 11973, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wielopolski
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Zedek
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bush
mesh_terms: D004583:Electrons; D006801:Humans; D010315:Particle Accelerators / Q000592:standards*; D017785:Photons; D011522:Protons; D011786:Quality Control; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D011522:Protons