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Quality assurance network: The European pilot study

Abstract

Based on the IAEA/WHO experience in mailed dosimetry, a Quality Assurance (QA) Network, sponsored by the EC committee ``Europe against Cancer``, has been set up in 1991 for all European centres. Besides a survey of radiotherapy infrastructure, the project includes three measurement steps: primarily, a check of beam output and quality in reference conditions with a mailed TLD-procedure, in a second step, the mailed verification of other beam data and dose calculation procedures with multipurpose phantom, and finally in vivo dosimetry at the individual patient levels with mailed dosimeters. The results concerning 162 beams from 85 centres are analysed (58 {sup 60}Co beams and 104 X-ray beams). 27 beams present minor deviations (3 to 6%) and 15 beams (4/58 {sup 60}Co beams and 11/104 X-ray beams) from 11 centres present major deviations ({>=} 6%). The analysis shows that 17/27 minor deviations and all major deviations have been detected in centres which have not benefited from an external check during the last five years; in 14 out of 15 large deviations, the measured dose is smaller than the stated dose. In most centres with major deviation, the physicists did not have the necessary experience and did not calibrate regularly the beams.  More>>
Authors:
Chavaudra, J; Derreumaux, S; Brider, A; [1]  Dutreix, A; Schueren, E van der [2] 
  1. Institut Gustave Roussa, Villejuif (France). Service de Physique
  2. University Hospital, Leuven (Belgium)
Publication Date:
Aug 01, 1996
Product Type:
Conference
Report Number:
IAEA-TECDOC-896; CONF-940864-
Reference Number:
SCA: 560101; 550603; PA: AIX-28:017935; EDB-97:029781; SN: 97001735776
Resource Relation:
Conference: Interregional seminar on radiotherapy dosimetry: radiation dose in radiotherapy from prescription to delivery, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 27-30 Aug 1994; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Radiation dose in radiotherapy from prescription to delivery; PB: 293 p.
Subject:
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, APPLIED STUDIES; 55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, BASIC STUDIES; RADIOTHERAPY; QUALITY ASSURANCE; CARCINOMAS; COBALT 60; DOSIMETRY; EUROPE; PATIENTS; RADIATION SOURCES; X-RAY SOURCES
OSTI ID:
429932
Research Organizations:
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
Country of Origin:
IAEA
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: ISSN 1011-4289; Other: ON: DE97614216; TRN: XA9642863017935
Availability:
INIS; OSTI as DE97614216
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
pp. 213-234
Announcement Date:
Feb 24, 1997

Citation Formats

Chavaudra, J, Derreumaux, S, Brider, A, Dutreix, A, and Schueren, E van der. Quality assurance network: The European pilot study. IAEA: N. p., 1996. Web.
Chavaudra, J, Derreumaux, S, Brider, A, Dutreix, A, & Schueren, E van der. Quality assurance network: The European pilot study. IAEA.
Chavaudra, J, Derreumaux, S, Brider, A, Dutreix, A, and Schueren, E van der. 1996. "Quality assurance network: The European pilot study." IAEA.
@misc{etde_429932,
title = {Quality assurance network: The European pilot study}
author = {Chavaudra, J, Derreumaux, S, Brider, A, Dutreix, A, and Schueren, E van der}
abstractNote = {Based on the IAEA/WHO experience in mailed dosimetry, a Quality Assurance (QA) Network, sponsored by the EC committee ``Europe against Cancer``, has been set up in 1991 for all European centres. Besides a survey of radiotherapy infrastructure, the project includes three measurement steps: primarily, a check of beam output and quality in reference conditions with a mailed TLD-procedure, in a second step, the mailed verification of other beam data and dose calculation procedures with multipurpose phantom, and finally in vivo dosimetry at the individual patient levels with mailed dosimeters. The results concerning 162 beams from 85 centres are analysed (58 {sup 60}Co beams and 104 X-ray beams). 27 beams present minor deviations (3 to 6%) and 15 beams (4/58 {sup 60}Co beams and 11/104 X-ray beams) from 11 centres present major deviations ({>=} 6%). The analysis shows that 17/27 minor deviations and all major deviations have been detected in centres which have not benefited from an external check during the last five years; in 14 out of 15 large deviations, the measured dose is smaller than the stated dose. In most centres with major deviation, the physicists did not have the necessary experience and did not calibrate regularly the beams. In 6 centres out of 11 there was no dosimeter or the dosimeter available has not been calibrated recently. In 3 centres, the physicist did not give any explanations. The conclusions concerning the second step (multipurpose phantom), outline the larger magnitude of the deviations for off axis points, oblique surface and the use of wedge filters. (author). 32 refs, 7 figs, 2 tabs.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1996}
month = {Aug}
}