Perform your
fastest daily QA!

Introduction

The QA BeamChecker Plus uses a unique Wire-Free system which allows a therapist or physicist to perform daily linear accelerator, TomoTherapy, IMAT, or VMAT QA measurements without using any cables or PC software interface. No matter what treatment machine used, it has never been this easy to perform daily QA.

To achieve this, the QA BeamChecker Plus employs a unique baseline system to establish a starting point for beam comparison and identification. The following parameters are tested for each treatment type:

Linear Accelerator (Static 5 Channel Mode):

• Constancy
• Flatness
• Axial Symmetry
• Transverse Symmetry

TomoTherapy Hi•Art System® Mode:

• Energy Constancy
• Lateral Profile Constancy
• Output Constancy (Center)
• Output Constancy (Left)
• Output Constancy (Right)

IMAT & VMAT (Dynamic 5 Channel Mode):

• Output Constancy (Center)
• Output Constancy (Left)
• Output Constancy (Right)
• Output Constancy (Top)
• Output Constancy (Bottom)

Setup

For linear accelerators, baselines are created each photon and electron energy. For TomoTherapy, multiple plans for testing static and dynamic exposures of different jaw widths can be established. For other rotational modalities and dynamic wedge QA, multiple plans can be used for different energies and configurations. The exposures should match what will be provided on a routine basis. Once completed, the QA BeamChecker Plus will be ready for Wire-Free daily QA operation.

While the included PC based communication software is required for this initial step, it is not needed for subsequent measurements, unlike competing daily QA instruments. This saves time, reduces complexity, and minimizes the chances of operator error.

Daily Usage

The QA BeamChecker Plus is placed on the treatment couch in same position as during the baseline measurement and the on-board controls are used to select photons, electrons, or the plan desired for measurement.

The patient camera is then aimed at the QA BeamChecker Plus front panel as shown to the right. Any energy for which a baseline exists can be administered as the order of exposure does not matter. Upon beam detection, the large, high contrast display identifies the energy (6 MeV shown) and indicates a "pass" or "fail" compared to the baseline. Additionally, if beam flatness, symmetry and/or constancy are out of tolerance, a notification is displayed and an audible alert is provided. The measurement is automatically saved and can be viewed later in more detail.

If the energy passes, the QA BeamChecker Plus automatically resets after a brief period and readies itself for the next exposure. Once all energies of one type are completed (photon or electron), the unit is simply flipped over to utilize the appropriate integrated build-up. 1.5 cm of water equivalent build-up is provided on the electron side, 3.5 cm on the photon side. When the routine is completed, the QA BeamChecker Plus is placed onto its included cradle for a recharge and link to the PC. Periodically, QA data can be transferred to a database for trending and analysis.

Hi•Art System® is a registered trademark of
TomoTherapy Incorporated.

For measurement, interact with the
software only during the initial setup

No additional add-ons or accessories are
needed for Wire-Free and software-free daily QA

Aim the patient camera at the
high contrast front panel to view results

Examples of measurement results: 10 MV and 6 MeV identification, axial symmetry, transverse symmetry, constancy, and flatness fault messages

When the routine is completed, place back on cradle
for easy charging and PC communication