[Result of the onsite dosimetry and questioning about quality assurance/ quality control of radiotherapy in the Hokuriku area - a comparison with past results -].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze temporal changes in human resources in the radiotherapy section, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and dose difference for radiotherapy in the Hokuriku area based on the results of past investigations and our investigation.


METHODS
We visited radiotherapy sections of 17 hospitals in the Hokuriku area (5 in Toyama, 9 in Ishikawa and 3 in Fukui) to measure the dose at the reference point of a linear accelerator (LINAC), as we asked questions to a radiotherapist about human resources, QA/QC of LINAC, etc. We compared our results with past reports (1992 to 2007) on the dose difference, human resources and frequency of dose monitor system calibration.


RESULTS
The number of physicians has not changed since 1999, but the number of radiotherapists was significantly increased. Weekly dose monitor system calibration has been achieved in 80% of the institutions in our survey. This percentage was significantly higher than in the past surveys. The dose difference distribution from our onsite dosimetry did not significantly differ from that from the onsite dosimetry in 2007. 91% of the institutions have accomplished within 2% of the dose difference.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that the number of physicians has not increased since 1999, but the number of radiotherapists has increased. We conclude that the increment of radiotherapists led to 80% achievement of the weekly dose monitor system calibration. Almost all institutions in Hokuriku area have properly performed QA of the dose monitor system.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University.
Akihiro
A
Takemura
Naotaka
N
Tsukamoto
Eiichi
E
Yamamoto
Shinichi
S
Ueda
Yuuichi
Y
Kurata
Shosuke
S
Kato
Akihiko
A
Nishijima
Akiyoshi
A
Matsukura
Kichiro
K
Koshida
Ryohei
R
Amano
D007564:Japan; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000592:standards; D011871:Radiology; D011874:Radiometry / Q000639:trends*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000639:trends*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D000078329:Workforce