title: A study on dosimetric properties of electronic portal imaging device and its use as a quality assurance tool in Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the dosimetric properties of the electronic portal imaging device were examined and the quality assurance testing of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy was performed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  RapidArc involves the variable dose rate, leaf speed and the gantry rotation. The imager was studied for the effects like dose, dose rate, field size, leaf speed and sag during gantry rotation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Varian RapidArc machine equipped with 120 multileaf collimator and amorphous silicon detector was used for the study. The characteristics that are variable in RapidArc treatment were studied for the portal imager. The accuracy of a dynamic multileaf collimator position at different gantry angles and during gantry rotation was examined using the picket fence test. The control of the dose rate and gantry speed was verified using a test field irradiating seven strips of the same dose with different dose rate and gantry speeds. The control over leaf speed during arc was verified by irradiating four strips of different leaf speeds with the same dose in each strip. To verify the results, the RapidArc test procedure was compared with the X-Omat film and verified for a period of 6 weeks using EPID.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effect of gantry rotation on leaf accuracy was minimal. The dose in segments showed good agreement with mean deviation of 0.8% for dose rate control and 1.09% for leaf speed control over different gantry speeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provided a precise control of gantry speed, dose rate and leaf speeds during RapidArc delivery and were consistent over 6 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Cancer Institute (WIA), India.
authors.forename: Prabakar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sukumar
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Cancer Institute (WIA), India.
authors.forename: Sriram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Padmanaban
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Cancer Institute (WIA), India.
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jeevanandam
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Cancer Institute (WIA), India.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Syam Kumar
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Cancer Institute (WIA), India.
authors.forename: Vivekanandan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
keywords: Dose rate; EPID; Leaf speed; Picket fence; Quality assurance; RapidArc