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Long-term experience in quality assurance of on-rail computed tomography systems for image-guided radiotherapy using in-house multifunctional phantoms

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Abstract

To report the long-term quality assurance (QA) experience of an on-rail computed tomography (CT) system for image-guided radiotherapy using an in-house phantom. An on-rail CT system combining the Elekta Synergy and Canon Aquilion LB was used. The treatment couch was shared by the linear accelerators and CT, and the couch was rotated by 180° when using the on-rail-CT system to ensure that the CT direction was toward the head. All QA analyses were performed by radiation technologists on CBCT or on-rail CT images of the in-house phantom. The CBCT center accuracy from the linac laser, couch rotational accuracy (CBCT center vs. on-rail CT center), horizontal accuracy by CT gantry shift, and remote couch shift accuracy were evaluated. This study reported the QA status of the system during the period 2014–2021. The absolute mean accuracy of couch rotation was 0.4 ± 0.28 mm, 0.44 ± 0.36 mm, and 0.37 ± 0.27 mm in the SI, RL, and AP directions, respectively. Horizontal and remote movement accuracies of the treatment couch were also within 0.5 mm of the absolute mean value. A decrease in the accuracy of couch rotation was also observed due to aging deterioration of related parts caused by the frequent use of couch rotation. The three-dimensional accuracy of on-rail CT systems derived mainly from treatment couches can be maintained within 0.5 mm with appropriate accuracy assurance for at least > 8 years.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the engineers at Canon Medical Systems who are carrying out the maintenance of this system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-City, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Masahide Saito, Naoki Sano, Hidekazu Suzuki, Takafumi Komiyama, Kan Marino, Koji Ueda, Hikaru Nemoto & Hiroshi Onishi

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  1. Masahide Saito
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  2. Naoki Sano
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  3. Hidekazu Suzuki
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  4. Takafumi Komiyama
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  5. Kan Marino
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  7. Hikaru Nemoto
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  8. Hiroshi Onishi
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Correspondence to Masahide Saito.

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Saito, M., Sano, N., Suzuki, H. et al. Long-term experience in quality assurance of on-rail computed tomography systems for image-guided radiotherapy using in-house multifunctional phantoms. Radiol Phys Technol 16, 292–298 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-023-00718-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-023-00718-1

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