title: The performance of a fluoroscopic electronic portal imaging device modified for portability.
abstract: Advances in external beam therapy technology have made routine, efficient conformal therapy a reality. With it comes the increasing need for online treatment verification, which is only achievable at present through the use of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs). For a large radiotherapy centre, the provision of one EPID per treatment machine proves extremely expensive. This paper details modifications to the design of a commercial fluoroscopic EPID (the SRI-100) to produce a portable system, capable of providing quick, high quality imaging on more than one treatment machine. We describe the necessary hardware and software changes made to the system, as well as the variety of mechanical and quality control checks performed for testing the stability and quality of the imaging. The modified system has been found to be both electronically and mechanically robust, with associated image quality, scaling, distortion and movement similar to other EPIDs in the department. Although the modification was designed specifically to allow for the acquisition of images from multiple treatment machines, it may also enable the operation of the EPID for other uses such as total body irradiation (TBI) treatment verification and a further range of quality control procedures on the linear accelerator itself.
authors.affiliation: Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonagh
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D004582:Electronics, Medical; D004867:Equipment Design; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D012984:Software; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*