title: A model for calculating the costs of in vivo dosimetry and portal imaging in radiotherapy departments.
abstract: The costs of in vivo dosimetry and portal imaging in radiotherapy are estimated, on the basis of a detailed overview of the activities involved in both quality assurance techniques. These activities require the availability of equipment, the use of material and workload. The cost calculations allow to conclude that for most departments in vivo dosimetry with diodes will be a cheaper alternative than in vivo dosimetry with TLD-meters. Whether TLD measurements can be performed cheaper with an automatic reader (with a higher equipment cost, but lower workload) or with a semi-automatic reader (lower equipment cost, but higher workload), depends on the number of checks in the department. LSP-systems (with a very high equipment cost) as well as on-line imaging systems will be cheaper portal imaging techniques than conventional port films (with high material costs) for large departments, or for smaller departments that perform frequent volume checks.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research, K.U. Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kesteloot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dutreix
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Schueren
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D009862:Online Systems; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000191:economics*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000191:economics*; D016526:Workload